Investigations of a Prescient: The Memiors of a Revolution
by Angelwrath
Summary: As Meronym and Zachry leave Big Island, an artifact from before the time of the Fall blurs the line between faith and fact and makes them question all they know. How did the love of Hae Joo and Somni 451 change the world? Based on the movie, some reference to the book.
1. Chapter 1 Artifact

Meronym looked out at Big island, growing smaller and smaller as they rode across the abyss of cerulean sea, the corrugated green mountains rising steep to the azure sky, craggy cliffs and tumultuous memories fading into the distance as the silver hulled boat rode onward. She was going back to her land, back to her home, one filled with sickness and death, a people with hope slipping away like the lives of many of her kin. But her life, her star was a beacon of hope, because in this far away little land, the emerald seamount, she found the way to call her celestial brethren for help. Now there was a chance, however minute, that her prescient tribe, one of the last remaining on the earth as far as they knew, would be saved from their destruction. A tumultuous few weeks it had been for her, but her intuition and hard work had paid off. Just when she could celebrate, tragedy befell the land of her newfound friends. It was much emptier of a place now, after the placid folk of the village lay massacred by the cannibal hordes. Her attention turned to the two new passengers; Zachry and his niece. They stared at the little island growing fainter in the distance too, strained looks on their faces, sadness in their eyes. Theirs was a new world of lonesomeness and grief. The little girl's hand reached up and touched the glass.

"Muchy smaller now, our home. But it not our homeplacen be reconin'." Said the Catkin girl, her fingers separated by a small space. She peered at the green island through these fingers with one eye. She pouted and put her head on Zachry. "I trying not past livin, but my moma on my mind. I be wishing she here with us on the water bird." the girl said.

"In my mind she staying something fierce, little one. She never leavin'. That be alright. The body don't stay but in your mind she stay. Sometime futurelike it not hurtin like fire in your chest. One day smile you will when she come visit your dreams." Zachry replied, hugging her close and rocking her in his stong arms. His good eye wandered over to Meronym, to whom he dared send a pained smile. His gazes were often times intense; Meronym thought that they revealed a fraction of the complexity that dwelled in his soul. A conflicted, imperfect soul, she felt, one that intrigued her enough to convince her shipmates to bring them along with them. Meronym smiled and turned away, walking slowly down the hall to an alcove that had become her office on the transport ship. She waved a hand and opened the wall completely, so that even once inside, she could look out over the waters. If Zachry needed her, he knew where to find her. Best to leave them alone for now.

Meronym sat at her desk, deep in thought. She was forever intrigued by this island man, a man she was drawn to, inexplicably, since he first sneered at her as a guest of his sister's at their home. They recognized each other. But how? She had never been on that island before; he had never left the island since birth. It was peculiar. She felt they had been in each other's presence for years. She wanted him to come with them; actually it was what was best for them. But she did feel he wanted to come, too, behind that rough, surly exterior. And Catkin, even though saddened by her family's death took to the new experiences with the flexibility and tenacity of childhood. Meronym was not worried about the girl eventually doing well, just her sometimes brooding uncle. She was the one who would lead their journey, since Meronym was a linguist and the Prescient tribe historian, one who knew intimately about the Valleymen's language and cultural norms.

The trip back to the Prescient homeland would take some days, and that left Meronym with some time to work on the ship. During her long voyage searching for a satellite link in the remaining parts of the reachable world, they uncovered many places and artifacts in their expedition. Finding the religious buildings and the artifacts were fascinating, though not helpful in Meronym's quest to find the signal posts she needed to get a message to the off-world colonies. After all that had happened in Zachry's Valley, they laid in wait for the results of her signal. She finally had some time to further her inquiries into these recently found treasures. For the moment, Meronym was allowed to return to her former position as historian.

She looked down at the carefully wrapped package she had placed in her desk; an artifact rescued from a recently deadlanded area near New Seoul. The place appeared to be a house of worship yet it hid a military academy, the excavator said. The researchers felt this site was held by Union and was the origin of a little known part of their religion: a sect of religious soldiers. The Liberator Priests were founded by General An-kor Apis himself, according to rumor. This group was not well understood because of the secrecy necessary early in the uprising. The suspicion was they were instrumental in furtively aiding and supporting the newly enlightened fabricants and spreading the religion of Somni, until their uprising eventually toppled the entire government. They scattered after The Fall. Unfortunately the Fall became a death knell for the their civilization.

The package had been cared for delicately; wrapped securely and put in a safe box, found stored in what they thought was an altar in the newly flooded cathedral. Meronym pulled on her gloves, in order to keep the oils on her fingers from damaging the find. It felt precious, sacred, the pages worn by reading, folded in places, fragile. Meronym's historian's hands moved them gently; she documented everything on the recorder; lest the book implode or disintegrate before her eyes. The pages were hand written, rather unusual for the day. As she lifted it out of the wrapping, it separated and startled her. It was a set of four books actually. In the first section, the tenants from Sonmi were fully written out, the fading ink neatly printed on fabric-like pages. Meronym gasped…the writing was familiar… could this be the originally written tenants by Somni or Archivist Park? For a moment, she dared to dream. Even though she did not believe in the idolatry of Somni, it was still breathtaking to believe that she was holding something with such significance.

The next three were journals, it seemed. The second book drew her attention the most; it was a small book, rounded edges, worn and dirty. This was titled "Libera" by a piece of paper now loosely affixed to the front cover. She peeled back the label gently, under it was the simple word "JOURNAL". It was a diary, a memoir with notes interposed. "Hae Joo Chang" was the name scrawled on the inside cover. Yet someone had then named it differently, and obviously held it in high regard. Her eyebrows rose instinctively; who was this man? Meronym gently fanned out the fragile, sticking leaves with bated breath. The writing was small, hastily written, it seemed. On several pages there were faded fingerprints. Some pages were water damaged, barely readable. There were pages inserted and affixed by glue that were slightly larger than the original. She took care to keep these loosened pages in the order found.

On an inner back page there were pictures; one was the ubiquitous Image of Somni, but different than she had ever seen. She seemed younger, innocent, determined. There was a softness in her eyes, she appeared hopeful. She was wearing a stylized off shoulder embellished top in deep blue. There was no collar on her neck, as found on fabricants, so Meronym surmised that this picture was taken after her rescue. Meronym knew that Somni came from a line of replicants; her face was commonplace. Yet Somni 451 had a different look; her eyes were transformed, filled with knowledge and wisdom. This image, she believed, was Somni 451 but it was unique in the fact that she was actually smiling. Meronym bit her lip and she sighed. The images of Somni 451 kept by Unanimity were stark, dark. Even in her broadcast, Somni was somewhat melancholy. Those images always gave Meronym pause; there always seemed to be such sadness in Somni's eyes. Meronym scolded herself; why did she put so many emotions to a visage? It was just a picture after all.

Below this was a headshot of a young Korean man of mixed lineage. His expression was serious, lips pursed tightly yet his eyes were gentle and deep. His face was oval, his hair fairly long, swept across his forehead so it made him seem boyish. There were several faint scars across his cheeks. The messaging implant, a precursor to the ones the prescients now used, on his left temple was also just barely visible. He was wearing the simple black high neck jacket of workers in his day that became the identifiable symbol of everyman, the uniform of Union. Full of idealism and intention, she thought. Was this Hae Joo Chang? Obviously, he must have been a man of some significance, to be pictured next to Sonmi. Meronym did not know what the hierchy of the Union was at that time; it became stronger and larger once it rose out of the canals of Old Seoul. Meronym had never seen his face before.

Meronym flipped to a group of pages that were added in the very beginning. She leaned back into her chair and began reading. She had to find out why this journal was "Libera".

_A note from General Apis_

Meronym's eyebrows rose again, and inside, she became excited. Was she looking at script from the renowned General's own hands?

_This journal was given to me by Commander Hae Joo Chang shortly before he left with the delegation to the outpost where Sonmi 451 delivered her great message. I tried to dissuade him from going. He was too important to the Union to lose in such an endeavor. He flatly refused my urgings; he would not leave Somni's side, even though he knew the probable outcome. He felt that his being with her was essential to strengthen and allow her to do what she needed to, so he convinced me. He had discovered her, nurtured her, and protected her. I believe he was correct. No one other than Sonmi was taken back from the island alive. She soon perished by the hands of Unanimity as well. We will be forever grateful for their ultimate sacrifice; that small band of revolutionaries gave freedom to many._

_The death of Commander Chang is quite a loss for Union, as well as for me personally. It has taken me some time to read his journal. Hae Joo was like a son to me. I first met him while he was young, a student in the University as he studied cytogenetics. He eventually learned the truth about the fabricant industry, the murder and cannibalism of humans. It was effortless to bring him to our cause. Despite his quiet demeanor and mild nature, he took to our military training quite well. Chang was agile and strong for his tall, slim frame. He was focused and effective during battle, a born marksman and adept at hand to hand combat. He became my own guard for some time, yet I believed him wasted in this position. _

_Chang and the other science officers eventually began working on a plan to free fabricants. The Union had toyed for some time with the idea of affecting the fabricants in some way; at first by trying to convince them, so they would just talk with them. This proved fruitless, the officers then believed a virus or a drug that would be needed to change their docile nature. The fabricants had faster metabolisms; they grew to adulthood quickly, they learned quickly, they grew old quickly. They had little time for social and emotional development. Unanimity "recycled" them after brief lives of backbreaking labor. They outfitted them with collars that a Seer could use to kill any fabricant at will. We also realized that the collars were a way to track a wayward fabricant out of the range of their detonation devices. Anyone humane looking at this in a logical, rational way could see this as wrong. As criminal and cruel. There were enough of us who felt the same. _

_Mother Nature in her divine wisdom did our job for us. After some investigation of the fabricant industry, we discovered problems favorable for our purposes. As the clones were duplicated, each line mutated bit by bit. The mutations manifested in intolerable behavior problems around fabricant 1000; therefore they terminated each line around that number. The fabricants were also becoming more intelligent each passing iteration. The attitude and personality issues became more difficult to spot while still in the manufacturing facility. They "decompensated" and grew more unmanageable and unpredictable the older they became. More of a problem for Unanimity. Therefore they limited their lifespans, but the market drove them to produce more and more fabricants despite these issues._

_Certain lines, such as the female servant fabricants, seemed to have a higher incidence of late unpredictable behavior, according to our sources in the governing body. We concentrated on observing those in their working environments in Neo Seoul. I sent out a group of my most trusted officers to scout out and attempt to recruit these fabricants, Commander Chang being one of them. I felt his gentle nature and kind ways would work well in this endeavor. These fabricants needed to be approached gingerly; they were kept naive and indoctrinated that if they were disobedient they would be "excised." The powers that be could not call it what it actually was: execution. Multiple attempts at freeing and then supporting the development of a free-willed fabricant were unsuccessful. That was, until Chang spotted a pair of fabricants in Papa Song's restaurant who seemed to have developed a friendship, which was unusual. While undergoing closer scrutiny, the Yoona unit was killed after she struck a consumer and tried to escape. Chang acted on his own and quickly retrieved Sonmi 451 that night, afraid that the enforcers would catch up with her. And the rest, as they say, was history. _

_I questioned him about his success with Somni 451. Chang said the key was that from the beginning, he always gave her a choice. He exercised her free will from the moment they met. She CHOSE to go with him. She was scared but CHOSE to stay, and did not try to return to her Seer as did the others. She CHOSE to read, and learn, and develop into a realized human. When he lost her briefly, during her incarceration, he would not rest. He was more agitated about her than I had ever seen him. Chang, though injured from his fall, insisted on being the one to free her so against our advice, he broke into the prison and stood watch by her door disguised as a guard, waiting for the best time to act. It was sheer luck that this jailbreak was successful. He brought her back to his hideout in Old Town. I chastised Chang for his recklessness and was contemplating bringing Somni underground. He would not have it. I saw a fierce protectiveness in his eyes, and a genuine concern for her that made me reconsider. He was all she knew and if he was successful in helping her develop into a free willed replicant, we would have what we needed. It was not the time for rebuke. I agreed, but asked him to start keeping a journal, so that we would have record of occurrences from his perspective. He complied, as you see. _

_Sonmi and Hae Joo had become close; I did not know until reading his journal just how close. The essential element of interpersonal chemistry and the attachment that was immediately apparent between them was what I felt made this attempt successful. He brought her to meet me only when he felt she was ready. She developed beyond our expectations in such a short time under his doting, protective care, so I left them largely alone, allowing him to be her constant guardian and teacher. I should have known that the rules, all rules that governed the fabricant's lives would be eventually broken by Sonmi 451. She became so much more than I imagined was even possible, and to my chagrin, she became more human than I realized. At first I was appalled when I found out what happened between them. To become involved with one's charge was forbidden; it complicated matters. I initially placed the onus on Hae Joo; I felt he should have shown restraint. After thinking about it more in the ensuing days, it all made sense. It was easy to see how it all fell into place, in retrospect._

_It seems that two young souls discovered a greater motivator than the high ideals of the Union in the dark, flooded alleys of Old Seoul. The leadership of Union had, in all its aspirations to help the fabricants be courageous, free humans, underestimated the necessity and strength of the most human emotion of all. The simplest way to tell their story is that a revolutionary officer and a free willed fabricant fell in love and then propelled a revolution. It was through that mutual adoration that Somni found true freedom, which allowed her the strength to develop as she did. The truth is their brief, yet tragic, love bore tremendous fruits: The death blow to the foundation of Unanimity. _

_I have often thought their meeting was probably not by chance alone. That the whole lot of us being at this time and place was not just by happenstance. I learned much about both Hae Joo but also Somni in his rather candid and complete retelling of their time together. Somni's words of truth, her tenants, have become essential spiritual food for the revolution; which was something that we were missing. In large part, we have Hae Joo Chang, and whatever led him to her, to thank for Somni 451 becoming a part of our revolution. I have to admit, I am not one to delve in the belief of divine intervention but something was afoot here that I am still trying to understand. _

_I now give you the words of Hae Joo Chang, the liberator and most adoring follower of Somni 451. Within it you will find my historical notes, like these, added where I find it pertinent. You can then form your own opinion._

_General An-kor Apis_

Meronym leaned back and took a deep breath. Now she knew who this Hae Joo Chang was. She had only heard vague stories about this male figure. In some rare images, he was depicted as a larger than life figure who held a glowing Sonmi aloft, above him as trampled remains of Unanimity lay beneath his feet. It was not the image of the real, young revolutionary who loved the real Sonmi. Her hands shook with the realization of what she had found: books that were the birth of a religion. She was in awe of her discovery.

"By Somni…" Meronym muttered, then laughed out loud as she realized what she had said.


	2. Chapter 2 Treasure Found

"Ehem.."

Meronym turned to the voice with a start. Zachry was leaning against a wall,observing her.

"I didn't see you." She said, gasping, motioning for him to come by her.

"Now why is a prescient, don't believen, calling Somni?" he said, impish grin on his face.

"Now why is a Valleyman sneaking up on a Prescient?" Meronym said, with a chuckle. "Where is Catkin?"

"Young uns friends anew on this ship be muchly more interesting than old, slow kin." He said, sitting on a chair nearby. Zachry still was not completely comfortable with her yet, Meronym felt. Yet he seemed to enjoy her company. And seek her out often. His eyes fell upon the old books in her lap.

"What old trappins you reading?" his brows knitted. "They like the tomes in the house of the Abbess."

"No, they are not hers but probably from about that time…" she stopped, realizing she was not talking Zachry's dialect. "I sorrysome." He looked at her for a second, puzzled. Then comprehension came over his face.

"No point in apoligizing for leaving your Valleyman's tounge. I can cog what you say. Just take longer timewisen." She smiled. He returned a twisted smile. "Probably better I start speaking Prescient tounge since I not be seeing many Valleymen where we heading." She nodded. That was true.

"Taint muchly different. Sometimes I cog our voices clearer in Valleyman than Prescient. More like song." He smiled, his gaze returning to the books. "You think me true about the books?" She asked. He looked at her and nodded.

"Is your say so…" he said. He leaned forward in the chair. "There more to that story."

"We found these in a deadlanded temple across the water. They were written by the old uns, the ones who tripped the Fall…" Meronym started.

"That the true true?" he said. He leaned back and stared at her.

"This one by the hand of General Apis." She said. His eye opened wide and he leaned forward, almost in reverence.

"Holy ones? My kin by wedding, Adam, always jabbering about somesuch Lost Books of Somni. Some General An-kor, Joo Chang or some like. I was coging it unreal." Zachry continued. "Liberators looking for them constantlike as if the pages could banish Old Georgie himself." Meronym looked at him incredulous.

"What you know about Liberators? What Adam tell you about lost books?" she asked. Zachry looked at her suspiciously.

"Don't cog much other than books be lost long ago." He said. "An old Liberator priest came to us way back; came lookin for his books, stayin by teachin us words of Somni. He only found big likeness of Somni, the one the Abbess keep. The Abbess and young Adam like born followers of his yarnin' swallowing every word said like they thirsting for water." He said. He looked down and pulled at the edges of his cloak back. "Said his kind way back like him warrior folk. Freed slaves, he said. Carried spikers like these." Zachry pulled out his knife and handed it, blunt end first to Meronym. "He gifted this to me when I go off to tend the goats; protection from the diresome."

"Kona?" She said, touching and turning the dagger. It was light and strong, the blade used but still sharp. The handle was thick braided, flattened metal with stars stamped along it. Her eyes opened wide as she remembered where she had seen these before. These were made from the collars of fabricants.

"And devil spirits like old Georgie supposed. But it dont work for that. Adam says because I didn't believe blind." Zachry became quiet, withdrawn. "Adam believe in it but it dont stop him becoming Kona meat." He said quietly.

"And the Priest? Where he gone?" Meronym asked. She had heard about what happened with Adam. That Zachry did nothing as the Kona attacked and killed Adam and his son. She was happy to change the topic.

"He disappear up the Devil's mountain looking for his find. Never be seen after."

"Well Zachry, possible these be his find, I reckon so…" Meronym said. "I just first looking at them." Zachry got up.

"Well, I'll be leaving you to your reading." He muttered. He turned away and headed quickly down the corridor.

"You dont need be running away." Meronym pleaded, jumping up and leaning out the door. Zachry stopped and turned his head, but did not face her.

"I know you not believe it but playing with what writ by hands of the holy makes me fearsome." He stood still. Meronym walked up to him.

"No worries Valleyman. I look on your holy book with respect." Zachry grunted, and kept walking. She certainly did not want to upset him, but she really wanted to find out more. She sat down at the desk and picked up the little book again. Meronym gently turned the pages…

_September 24, 2113._

_I am Commander Hae Joo Chang, First Science Officer of the Union Rebellion. I have been instructed by General Apis to document the occurrences of the recent past concerning the fabricant Somni 451 for posterity. I am to document not only occurrences but my thoughts and feelings on the matter. Henceforth I shall, yet I am unsure of why he finds this so important. I hope he finds what I do sufficient. _

_ I will begin with some pertinent history: Why am I part of the Union Revolution? Because it is unconscionable to not be. _

_I was born in the dregs of Old Seoul to poor parents who were eventually displaced from their jobs by the onslaught of fabricants. My parents hated them; but I did not. I found it sad to see them. Ordered around by their Seers they had blank stares, abbreviated lives. When removed from their controlled environments, they were helpless. They did not even know how to respond to help. Others called them sub-human, stupid, worthless. I could not…they looked too much like me to dismiss them as unimportant. They were humans, like us. _

_I found the pursuit of knowledge my path out of Old Seoul. I eventually excelled in the scholarly arena. I worked within the conventions of society as a matter of survival, yet the treatment of fabricants still irked me. In order to find out more about it, I studied cytogenetics in University and found out the shocking truth about what was really occurring in the fabricant industry. I learned to temper my thoughts and words, so as not to draw attention from the Unanimity enforcers who asked too much. I began secretly reading words of freedom and honor and revolution written from the across the ages, banned by Unanimity. _

_The tendencies of man are repetitive and consistent. Power, greed, hate, deceit is in direct opposition to yet exists alongside selflessness, love, honor, truth. As for Unanimity, absolute power corrupts absolutely. There is a greater spirit that abounds in the face of tyranny: the hunger for freedom and the desire to help your fellow man. I soon found others who felt the way I did and joined a cause as old as freedom itself. Revolution. The ironic thing is it led me back to the underground of Old Seoul. But I digress._

_Truth be told, this journal is not for me to expound on my personal crusade. It is because General Apis was displeased with my handling of the mission as of late. He feels I have become too invested, and I may make critical mistakes. He wanted me to document my actions so that he may learn, in the future, what to do differently if I fail. _

_I will continue the primary intent, my recollections with how I first met my charge, Somni 451._

_When we Science officers began looking for fabricants in Neo Seoul, I targeted several restaurants with fabricants working there. My fellow officers were having no luck with the fabricants they tried to rescue. They were so indoctrinated that the simple idea of leaving their positions was too much for them to handle. I then went to a Papa Song in my quadrant. After only a day of observation, I saw what I was looking for. There was at least one fabricant I found seemed to display some unusual actions. She also seemed to have a curiously close association with her Seer; a little too familiar, and she showed a little too much emotion. This one was interesting, indeed. On occasion she walked over to another, more wary fabricant. They seemed to be friends. _

_ I identified their names when I walked by their pedestals; the first was Yoona 939 and the second was Somni 451. I had to decide which one to target for approach. Yoona, I believed, may be a little too brash; even though she did seem as if she already was quite self-aware, and becoming more inquisitive, but I sensed a lack of good judgment. She frequently looked towards the elevator, talked to herself. The other server, Somni, was mainly observing Yoona, with concern and caution. There was something about Somni that I thought I could work with. Later that week, Yoona proved me right in my suspicion. A customer was being rather rude behind her and she struck him with her fist. Definitely too little caution; yet it was amazing to behold. I was smiling as the other customers shrieked . He deserved it. He would never have treated a pureblood like that and gotten away with it. _

_Unfortunately Yoona was the one who paid dearly,Seer Rhee excised her right there by the elevator. A blast of the collar and Yoona's blood was soon spreading crimson over the white floor. Dead in seconds. She then dragged off like refuse. No one seemed to care but her friend. I kept close watch on Somni as long as I could. She was obviously quite affected, she was shaking and trying her best not to seem upset, but the look in her eyes told me she was confused and terrified. The other fabricants did not seem affected. As the day ended, Somni was more in control of herself but seemed deeply saddened, avoiding all contact with the Seer. _

_I remained outside of the closed restaurant for one hour. I was worried. There was no time for consultation with Apis because according to my surveillance, there were many communications occurring over the official frequencies. The cytogenetic industry and Ministry would launch investigations of all the fabricants here tomorrow. They may just remove all of them. I had to make a decision myself. I kept seeing her face in my mind; Somni seemed so scared. One good thing that meant was that this she was already becoming more self aware. They would find out her connection with Yoona, and she would be excised, no question. I had to get back in; I had to get her out. _

_The security in this restaurant was thankfully sub par so I found my way in rather easily and the security cameras were also not difficult to disrupt. As I entered near the rear of the restaurant out of the corner of my eye I saw Seer Rhee lying on the floor, asleep I thought. I dropped down, approached him slowly, getting out my hypojet to subdue him if he woke. I realized he was not breathing, the closer I got. I noticed several soap boxes open around him, 6 in all. I felt for a heartbeat once he did not respond to my touch. He was dead. _

_I wonder if he knew what the soap was made of, and that it contained a potent amnesic sedative. The amount he drank was undoubtedly fatal. This was not good; with the seer's death, the investigation would be stepped up. Everyone would be questioned. I went to what looked like a store-room and began looking for surveillance equipment. I found the main system and disconnected it, erased as much as I could of its cache. That would alarm someone, somewhere, I knew but I had some time. I began to scan the room; it was covered in the Yoona's genetic signature. And there was also a weak signal of Somni. They would find her, and definitely now she would die. I heard a noise behind me; I swung around to see Somni 451 standing right there…_

_When our eyes met, for a moment everything stood still, we stared at each other, almost in recognition. A strange sensation welled up in my chest, but it felt different from just surprise. She turned to run. I approached her with care; she was still skittish. I called her by name and introduced myself, then she asked about the seer. I then I told her the larger situation as I saw it, that the enforcers and DNA sniffers would find her. I hoped to convince her to leave with me. Her eyes were wide with fright. _

_"You can remain here and risk being discovered, or you can come with me." I said, as gently as possible. I was asking her to trust me, a stranger, with her life. _

_She looked confused; I don't think she had never been given a choice before. She finally agreed. Before leaving, she went back to get some shoes and she returned to the closet and grabbed a vidi. I put a black coat with a hood over her ._

_She seemed to nearly change her mind at the outer gate. She paused and looked behind, towards the only world she knew, the only life she knew. She gripped the vidi tightly. We had to go quickly, but I just stood patiently and waited. I held out my hand. She followed slowly, bending under the partially closed gate. I felt elated, but impatient. _

_I put my arm around her and held her close. She was so unsteady, shaking as we walked into the elevator. She took my hand with her trembling little fingers and I immediately felt compassion for her. There was such fear in her eyes. Once we were moving up, I backed away a little, not knowing if it would make her more or less comfortable. I looked at her every move, every tremor. I had to try to understand what it was to be her right then. I am sure she had never left the restaurant for all of her working life. Everything, just everything must be new and frightening. I smiled as she looked at me for reassurance; then the light of city burst into the elevator. _

_"Welcome to Neo Seoul" I said. Her demeanor changed immediately, she seemed enthralled. It was heartwarming to watch; such pure wonder was beaming from her face. Good, good. We walked out to the street and I pulled her hood on and asked her to look down._

_Fist we had to see Ovid to remove the collar as soon as possible. He would not like the fact that it was so late. I almost pressed my messager to warn tell him. I stopped; it was best to keep radio silence until I get to my safe place. We walked in shadows on deserted alleys on the way to Ovid's place. How unfortunate that these had to be the first sights of the outside world for Somni. _

_I hid her in front of me as I rang the intercom at the back entrance. _

_"Who this? What you want at dis hour?" a disgruntled Ovid said through the intercom._

_"It's Chang, Ovid. I need your help. Please, now." I said. Ovid grunted. He knew the only reason I would be here unannounced would have to be a good one._

_"I be right down." Was the sullen response._

_Within minutes Somni was in his workshop, the fabricant collar being prepped for the laser cut. I looked at Ovid sternly. He knew very well what I was capable of. He had better not hurt her. I held her hand as the machine squealed and sparked. She was breathing rapidly, she grimaced and wimpered, squeezing my hand, but did not move. _

_In seconds she was free. Somni reached up to her neck and touched it like if it was the first time. Ovid seemed relieved, and quite pleased with himself. And less pressured, no doubt, since I was no longer glaring at him. _

_"How does it feel?" I asked. A small smile played on her lips._

_"Good."she said._

_Ovid smashed a part of the collar in a nearby drill press. "Destroy chip so no follow. I melt down. No find." Ovid looked at us and motioned toward the door. "I no see you, you no see me." He shuffled off, then paused and looked back over his shoulder. _

_I bowed and hurried Somni out. Ovid just wanted us, trouble, out of his shop. He was taking quite a chance doing this for us, but he did get some small reward; he agreed to remove collars so he could reuse the metal. I was grateful. _

_We walked quickly along the road to my place in silence, through the stormy, dark, deserted streets. I kept Somni close, for reassurance. Somni kept on rubbing her now naked neck. I have no idea how it felt to have the collar, but I can just imagine how good it feels off. Once we reached my building, we rushed silently into the rear elevator. I turned Somni away from the security camera and held her against me. _

_As we entered the main room of my apartment, I locked the door behind me and added security on the habitat mainframe. I set up the jamming frequency at the door so no one would be able to scan the apartment. That would raise suspicion if the building was being searched, but for now I was more concerned about nosy neighbors. Now I felt safe. Somni stood paralyzed at the door, not knowing what to do. I smirked. She seemed like a helpless child._

_I turned on the main room decoration, textured it nicely and put the vidi of a tree with falling blooms. Not quite my style, but I had to take care of a guest now. I watched her eyes light up and heard her gasp at the unfolding splendor. It was so charming to behold. I showed her around the sparse apartment and showed her the clothes I had acquired. It was good that all fabricants were generally the same size. _

_"But these are pureblood clothes." She said, touching them as if they were icy cold. _

_"They are YOUR clothes." I repeated. She looked at me incredulous. What else did she think she would wear? Papa song's uniform? Those days were over. _

_I waved my hand and revealed the vidi of Old Seoul on the outer back wall. I kept the dark, dire image there, to remind me of what things were to come. She walked up to it slowly. I needed to show her not everything was perfect and beautiful in this new world she was experiencing. _

_"This is Old Seoul." I said. "If the seas continue to rise at its current rate New Seoul will be under water in one hundred years…" She looked at me as if confused. My scientist side was showing. Too much information, I guess. She returned to peer into the closet. _

_ "Why don't you try them on?" I suggested. Her eyes opened widely, a little scared. She nodded and took the most demure outfit in the closet. "I will be in the next room." I said as I hurried from the bedroom. I shook my head internally. She thinks I was ordering her. I have to be very careful with this one. It will take her a while to understand: she truly was now FREE. But freedom did have its price. _

_I turned my attention to the vidi, the only thing that she paused to take when leaving Papa Song. It seemed broken. I pressed the button._

_"I will not be subject to criminal abuse…" said the actor. I was a little taken aback; as trite as the acting of this turn of the millennium drama piece seemed, the words were poignant. Those were Yoona's last words. Stuck in a loop, it played over and over. I pulled back a piece of plastic near the switch. I pointed it at the vidi wall. It did not work. I digid it; the chip was corrupted, but I was able to find the rest of the movie. There. That should make her happy._

_I activated my orison; I had to try to get a message to Apis, to let him know that I had acquired Somni 451. I composed a rather cryptic message. I scanned the bandwidth and radiofrequencies. They were very active. Someone had found Seer Rhee and the enforcer was in route to Papa Song. I sighed. I could not risk the transmission. Soon enough, a missing fabricant would be their primary concern. With her collar now non-functional, they would now turn their investigation into a hunt for a rogue fabricant. If Union headquarters was capturing these same transmissions, they would soon know about the missing fabricant, and with my silence, Union may figure out what may have happened anyway. Unanimity had become stricter with wayward fabricants as of late; maybe they were becoming more wary of what they were capable of. A concern much like Dr. Frankenstein, I wonder, frightened of its own creation? _

_Somni walked out slowly from the bedroom. She had also found the bathroom and cleaned off the smudges of dirt from her long legs, evidence of our trip here. I smiled. Her genetically engineered characteristics were quite attractive. Not a Frankenstein at all. _

_"Do you like them?" I asked. She nodded. "You look lovely." I said, looking at her a little too long, I suspect because she seemed to become uneasy. _

_I picked up the vidi and explained what I had done with it. I turned it on and the tale about Timothy Cavendish came to life on the huge display. She was in awe. There was that enchanting little smile again as she sat down next to me and we watched her vidi. I must admit I spent a lot of time just looking over at her; the vidi was just not as engaging. _

_It touched me, really, to see that pure sense of enjoyment from one devoid of leisure for so long. Once it was over she looked at me smiling widely, almost clapping in her excitement. Then she yawned, and I followed; I was tired myself. It had been a very long day. I looked past her to the window in the bedroom. It was still dark, but I knew it was very late, almost morning. We had stayed up all night; I guess I was not being a good host. _

_"Are you sleepy?" I asked. She nodded, and then put her arms across her stomach. "Are you hungry?" I continued. Again she nodded. She shared so few words._

_"I usually have soap box before sleep cycle," she said, in the slow, broken consumer fabricant accent. This was the first time she spoke of her own accord. "Last night I did not." _

_"That was probably why you woke up." I said, getting up. "Soap makes you sleep." She nodded. _

_The soap is a complete nutritional supplement, but with the sedative, it put the fabricants in a deep sleep so they would be fully rested after just a few hours and could be put back to work. _

_"Sleep like Seer Rhee." she said, awareness flowing over her face._

_"Not quite. He had too much. He will not wake up." I said. She raised her eyebrows. _

_I went, by habit, to the food dispenser and made a hot chocolate drink, my only indulgence. I paused and looked back at her. "I usually have something hot to drink before sleeping; would you like some?" She seemed a bit surprised yet nodded. I made hers with a bit more protein and fat, so it would satisfy her more. I felt her eyes on me as I moved around, placing the steaming beverage before her. She was incredulous as I sat down across from her. _

_"You…are serving…me?" She said slowly. I tried to fight back a smile, but I could not help it. _

_ "You are my guest." I said. "Please…" I motioned. She timidly lifted the drink and inhaled, her eyes closing. Her eyes opened. _

_"Consumers order this. Usually for breakfast time." She said, sipping it slowly. Her eyes lit up and that small smile came over her face. She licked her lips. I smiled to myself._

_"Well, I like it at night instead. Do you like it?" She nodded again and sipped more. Then I asked: "You served this at Papa Song's. Have you not had it before?" she put the cup down and looked away shyly. _

_"Servers do not eat or drink the consumers' meals." She said. I nodded. I actually knew that. _

_"I thought you might have tried some…" I said. She looked at me with surprise._

_"That would be against third catechism." She said, matter of factly. I nodded. More ridiculous rules. _

_"There are no rules like that here." I said. She finished the drink completely, and now she really looked sleepy. I helped her up and walked her to the door of the bedroom._

_"You can darken the room like this." I motioned at the light sensor, and the room darkened. She looked around at the room._

_"We go to sleep in bright light, in boxes. No darkness." She said. My eyebrows rose. Boxes. Really? _

_"Then you can leave the room lit if you like." I said, raising the lights. "I need a little darkness to fall asleep. I will be right here in the next room if you need anything." I said. She nodded, and then went over to the bed. She crouched next to it and pushed on it. "Anything wrong?" I queried._

_"It is…soft." She said, looking back at me. She stood up, wringing her hands. "We sleep on hard board." I shook my head._

_"You will find that many things here are different." I insisted. "If you try it, I think you will like it." She looked again at the bed shyly. _

_It was hard for me to not show how angry I felt at the seers, Unanimity and our society for making this acceptable. They treated fabricants so inhumanely. There would be many new, pleasant experiences here for her, I hoped. But, there was no need for me to observe her every move. _

_"Sweet dreams." I said as I turned to leave. My mother used to say that to me. _

_"What?" she said softly. I turned around to find her sitting on the bed mat. _

_"Sweet…" I realized it mid-sentence; fabricants may not have dreams, because of the soap sedative. I sighed and leaned with my back against the wall. "Dreams. The vidis in your mind when you sleep. They can be very pleasant or unpleasant." I said. She tilted her head sideways and narrowed her eyes a little. I would get to know that expression well…_

_"I know what you refer to, but I have never been told to have sweet ones." She said. She looked again around the room. "I will try." She said, earnestly. _

_"It is more of a wish than an order." I said, laughing inside. "It is not always possible to control dreams." I walked out and slid the door closed behind me._

_ I darkened the living area and laid out a mattress for me. As I drifted off I was a bit unsettled. This was going to be very difficult. Somni was shy and very innocent. There was much I needed to teach her and so little time to make a free willed fabricant out of her._

* * *

_My eyes fluttered open later that night. The early foggy morning light filtered through the window in the bedroom, which flooded my room with low light. The bedroom door was open...oh no._

_Somni!… I sat up with a start, a twist in my chest._

_I turned to see her sitting, back against the wall, arms wrapped around her bent legs, eyes wide open. I stood and approached her slowly. Her eyes had been glued on me for some time, I suspect. _

_"What's wrong?" I asked, gently. She looked up at me._

_"I do not want to close my eyes." She said slowly, deliberately. I crouched down before her._

_"Why? There is nothing here to fear." I said. "You are safe." I insisted. She looked toward the window for a moment, and I saw her purse her lips. Her eyes were puffy. Had she been crying? She looked back, right into my eyes._

_"When I open my eyes again, will I be back in my box? Is this… just a dream?" she said softly. There was that twist in my chest again. What a horrible thought. I held out my hands and helped her to her feet, then I reached for the remote and turned off the textures. The apartment turned into an industrial grey again. Somni backed up, eyes blinking. _

_"Somni…this is real." I said motioning all around, and then I tapped the wall with my fingers. I grasped her hands gently, and then placed one on the cold surface. She stared the wall, then at both of my eyes, one then the other. She pulled her hands away and wrapped them together in front her chest, and started to shake her head. "I…am real." I said, taking one of her small hands, slowly placing it inside my open shirt, over my heart. Somni gasped and swallowed, looking at the hand on my chest then back at my face. I breathed slowly. "I am just as real as you are. I am flesh and blood as you can see, as you can feel...This is no dream."_

_ We stayed there, still for a few moments. I felt my heart beating, through my chest against her hand. It was so warm. _

_"Do you believe me?" I said, when she seemed to calm down and relax. Her eyes rose to mine, and she nodded. I dropped my hands away from hers, but she remained for a moment, spreading her fingers, looking at my chest. She then pulled her hand very slowly away. My heart was beating faster of its own accord. _

_I turned on the room decoration again and we watched textures and the pleasant colors move over the walls, ceiling, and floor. "Now…please rest." I said, placing my hands gently on her shoulders. She nodded and turned to go back to bed. I watched her enter the bedroom and the door slid closed. _

_I sighed and dropped back on the mat, staring at the ceiling. Being in Union these past few years was self-enforced isolation. When not isolated, I was on missions, tense situations where I was killing so as not to be killed. I remembered her hand on me. I enjoyed her touch. It was so refreshing and nurturing to my own soul to be able to be kind and gentle. I wondered though; will every moment be this intense? I fell back asleep in seconds. _


	3. Chapter 3 Daylight

_It was already midmorning when I awoke. For a second, I wondered why I was in the living area. Then I remembered. My guest. I still could not believe it. I went silently and slid the door open just a little, maybe just to prove it to myself. There Somni was, resting comfortably on her side. I slid the door closed. I did not want to disturb her. _

_I started doing my exercises. Even though strenuous, they could be performed silently in a small area. I have done these maneuvers for years. They were based upon ancient martial arts and involve the body and mind; I found them very helpful to me as source of solace when my mind needed it during my university years. This is why Union training came so easily to me. Their training was also based upon these ancient military skills and mantras; using your opponent's strength and weight and inertia to your advantage; the element of silence and observation in preparing yourself against your adversary; strong movements to promote flexibility and agility; the use of your mind as a defensive as well as offensive weapon. _

_Then it was time for some business. I knelt before the table, and sent my orison spinning aloft between my hands. I could scan with my either my implant or the orison, but the orison was more powerful. Anything other than scanning would require connection to the mainframe, which revealed your location. I could tell that the hunt was on for Somni. From the messages I could intercept, it had taken them a little while to figure out which fabricant was dead and which was missing. _

_There was no indication of the enforcers looking for me yet, but I knew it would happen. They would look to question all who came to Papa Song in the last few days. My face and genetic signature were all over Papa Song this last week. My identity had been scrubbed several times by the Union connections at the Ministry so I would not be easy to locate. That would make me a target. For this particular mission I had random identities assigned for what was needed; one for my apartment, another for my credit card, etc. If captured, I would be labeled illegal. _

_I looked through my prized private collection of ebooks and vidis, those kept behind firewalls and encrypted. I wondered which I should show to Somni; her tutelage would start today. Many of these are banned by unanimity; those written by philosophers of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment; Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau, Solzhenitsyn, Founders of the American and French revolutions, The Chinese communist movement, religious books like The Bible, the Koran, Buddhist and Hindu works, etc. Any one of these would get me arrested. To be found with all, I would be executed. It never bothered me before, but now I had another concern. I was putting Somni at risk also. _

_An anonymous message, hidden within a commercial transmission, unintelligible and heavily encrypted, came across on my implanted messager. It had no content; it was a "ping" of sorts, from Union Command. It signaled that all agents on mission were to check in then quickly change their locations. This was an extreme measure; they did not often do this so Union had probably heard about the missing fabricant and was pulling in their lines. Any response would mark my location, to Unanimity more so than Union. Union already knew where this place, my Neo Seoul safe house, was. My continued silence in response to this message would be a signal in itself. _

_The only other dispositions to for Union to consider once I did not answer were death or capture. The implanted messagers of Union officers were programmed, they transmitted a final location signal when brain waves ceased or when someone tampered with it, then they stopped functioning, and could not be examined. Union command would know if I had been captured from our contacts at Ministry. No contact with an agent for 4 hours after signal would lead to a Union team going to the agents last known base, destroying physical evidence and sterilizing it; removing all known electronic and genetic signatures. If I did not want them to disturb Somni, or give up my location to Unanimity, I would have to go to command personally. My countdown for contact had begun. _

_I heard a small noise besides me. Somni was there, awake, cleaned and dressed. She looked scared and shifted side to side nervously. I knew what it was. Doubt and fear had gripped her. I smiled at her. She looked over my shoulder at the small vidi screens I had open, containing words and images. She looked away, scared. Even an unintentional glance at consumer literature was punishable, in her previous world. The Seers kept their fabricants as ignorant as possible. _

_"These are for you, Somni." I said. Her eyes opened widely._

_"Seer Chang…" she said, voice trembling. I bristled for a second at the reference. I forced myself to relax. I did not want to frighten her any more than she was. _

_"PLEASE" I said, insistently. "Call me Hae Joo." She gulped nervously._

_"Hae Joo" she continued timidly "but, fabricants can be excised for this." I looked away, trying to hide my disappointment. I turned to her after a second._

_"Well, survival often demands our courage." I said. I looked at her, at the vidis and looked back again. A look of realization washed over her face. Now she understood. We could both be executed for this. The innocence in her expression was disappearing. She seemed to make an internal choice; her body became still, she took a deep breath and stood straight and tall. It seemed that strength came over her. She nodded and knelt next to me. _

_"But I do not know what to do." She said, looking down._

_"I can show you." I urged. Her head rose and her eyes met mine. "But you must want to learn." I said, softly. She nodded, urgently. Was that hope I was seeing in her eyes, or my own joy? _

_So far so good. So very good. As I raised my hand to maneuver to a bio on_ _Solzhenitsyn, who was referenced in the vidi last night, I heard a growl coming from Somni's stomach, and I turned to her quickly. She looked embarrassed, putting her hands over her stomach. I smirked. Again, I was not being a good host. Even though enjoyable, our hot chocolate indulgence last night would not sustain her as a soap box would. She would have to get used to eating meals like the rest of us. Teaching could wait for a little while longer._

_"Would you like to have something to eat with me?" I said. After my workout in the morning, I certainly was in need of sustenance. She gave a timid smile. "What would you like?" I continued. _

_"I do not usually have anything ..." She started. Then, as if a light went off in her head: "What we had last night." She said, with that eager little smile. I grinned. She communicated in so few words, and her expression and mannerisms, though subtle, communicated volumes. Or maybe it was just me trying to see more in her than she could give._

_She followed my every move as I assembled a light meal. She tried to get up and help but I sat her gently back down. We ate around the table in the main room, facing each other. She was appropriate but did seem a little unaware of the convention of polite table conversation. It was to be expected. Fabricants probably did not eat like this. Neither did I usually, to be honest. _

_"Did you sleep well?" I asked. "After you went back to bed?"_

_"Yes. The bed is very comfortable." She said, with that shy little smile. "I think that was the longest I have ever slept." She admitted. She returned to her meal. _

_"Well, for that I am glad." I replied. I took another bite and let some silence fall between us. I was not one for talking just to fill a space so I just sat there, looking at her. She had gentleness in her movements, sweetness in her expressions. Her small smile was irresistibly beguiling. I was surprised at my own reactions, but Somni drew two emotions from deep within me; one was the desire to fiercely protect her, the other was the urge to treat her with tenderness and patience. _

_I wanted her to ask me something, anything, on her own. My mind wandered back to Papa Song. "How were you treated by Seer Rhee?" I queried finally. She seemed puzzled at the question. _

_"He treated me like all the other -" she stopped short "almost all the other servers." She looked down, and continued. "He treated one of us…differently."_

_"Yoona 939." I said. She raised her head, surprised, then nodded. Somni knew that I was aware of what happened but probably not that I had seen it firsthand. I continued. "I think that consumer was wrong to do what he did to her. It was disrespectful. And Seer Rhee's reaction was excessive." I said, returning to my meal. She looked at me, eyes round for a moment. _

_"You were there?" she gasped. I nodded. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes again._

_"She did not follow the rules." She said. "Therefore she was punished. We were all warned. " _

_"What do you think about her 'punishment'?" I queried. Let the learning begin. She looked pensive. _

_"What do I think?" she asked, shaking her head._

_"I am asking your opinion. What do you think about how Yoona was treated?" I pushed, yet gently. She had to start realizing her voice, opinions beyond nice clothes and chocolate drinks. "Would you have done the same?"_

_"No, I would not." She said immediately. She then frowned. "Do you mean the same as Yoona? Or Seer Rhee?" That one surprised me. _

_"Both." I said, leaning back on my arm. I wanted to see if she was able to view situations from the perspective of others, some quite different from she. She looked towards the wall, pursing her lips in though. Yet another expression I would get to know well. Then she looked back at me._

_"Yoona knew she would probably be excised for what she did. Yoona took risks. She ran to the elevator to escape punishment. She had no other choice." She paused a moment. "I would not have punched the consumer, or have gotten angry." Then a crinkle developed between her brows and she sighed. I could see that getting into the head of her Seer was more difficult. "I was her friend. I would have let her go into the elevator. It is all she wanted to do. To see what it was like up here with the consumers." She fell silent._

_"And if you were her Seer…" I urged gently, with a soft voice. She was struggling with this. She finally shook her head._

_"I do not know how to act like a seer, but I do know that Seer Rhee would not let her leave. He is responsible for keeping us at Papa Song. "_

_"Confined?" I said. I could not help myself. I shouldn't have been quite so blatant. She looked at me blankly. _

_"Employed. Until exultation." She declared. I looked away because I felt myself getting upset. Somni did not know what exultation actually was. Fabricants did not even consider themselves enslaved. They expected exultation as a reward for their years of hard work, and were trained to look forward to it. Large volume, grand scale murder and butchery is what it actually was. Horrible. It made me sick to think of it, and fearful to think of my Somni going through it. That is what I now thought of her as. My Somni. She broke my silence…_

_"You are displeased." She uttered. I looked up at her. She was looking intently at my face. _

_"No." I responded tersely. She did not look convinced. "Yes, but, please understand; not at you." I corrected, looking back at her. She nodded, then continued to look at me thoughtfully. "What made you say that?" I wondered aloud. _

_"You do this often." she pushed her lips together and tightened her upper lip. The expression looked out-of-place, comical on her soft, pretty face, so I nearly laughed. "You do it when you want to hide what you are thinking." She said, matter of factly, her expression becoming her own again._

_"Really?" I said. She nodded. "Very insightful." I was amazed. I did not realize my own mannerisms. _

_"As servers, we have to learn many languages. Even to see what people think, but do not say." She said, standing and clearing the dishes. Ah, Now it made sense to me; teach servers to read body language and they would know how to serve their consumers better. And make Papa Song more credits._

_I joined her in clearing away the dishes and cleaning the table. This was habit for her to do, so I decided not to stop her. I hoped it would make her feel better, more natural._

_"Were you treated the same way by some consumers?" I asked as we moved around. _

_"Yes. Sometimes they would touch me, push me, and make jokes about me. Sometimes they would yell or spit at me." She said, now looking upset._

_"And how did that make you feel?" I asked. She thought about it a while, then looked at me again. _

_"Vulnerable. Frightened. The touching…made me feel most uncomfortable." She crossed her arms and rubbed her upper arm as if remembering the experiences. _

_I disturbing thought drifted into my mind - how did she feel now, here? She was in an uncomfortable place, after all: Alone with a strange man locked in a strange apartment. I moved away and returned to the table to open my orison. _

_"How did you stop them?" I asked. Just curious._

_"I could not. I just tried to ignore it, or walk away. " She said. " If they became violent, Seer Rhee would intervene." She looked down and returned to sit by my side. I turned to her. _

_"Somni…" I said, gently._

_"Yes, Hae Joo?" She replied, with those dark, wide questioning eyes. She turned to mirror me, shifting on her heels. I liked the way she said my name. It rolled off her tongue so easily._

_"If I ever touch you, or talk to you, or do anything that makes you feel 'uncomfortable', please tell me." I asked earnestly. She looked at me as she mulled it over. _

_"That will not be necessary." She said finally, turning to look at the spinning orison before us. I stopped it from spinning and caught it. She looked back at me, wondering._

_"Why not?" I asked, confused. She took a deep breath. _

_ "Because I am very comfortable with you, Hae Joo. You are respectful. Your voice is gentle. Your touch…" she said slowly, her eyes finding mine "...is kindness."_

_A lump formed in my throat. I was utterly floored. _

"Meronym, come in please." The agitated voice of Corbin, one of the navigators, came in over her communication implant. It nearly made Meronym jump out of her skin; she was so engrossed in the narrative ofthe book.

"Yes, I am in my office on A deck. What is it?" She replied, a little irritated. She grabbed a marker, and gently closed the book over it, wrapping it back up in its trappings.

"Well…can you come here please? We need your help with the Valleyman."

"What's wrong, is Zachry OK?" she queried, getting worried.

"Uh, we think so. But he is acting strange and we don't want to upset him." Corbin confided.

"What? What do you mean strange?" Meronym shook her head and wondered. She headed down the hall, to the elevator that went up to navigation.

"Just… come. When you get here you will see what I mean." Corbin said, exasperated.

Meronym heard him sign off. She growled internally. She hoped that bringing Zachry on the ship was a good idea after all. She really did not know how Zachry would react; he had been through so much. The Valleymen tribe was an agrarian society, god fearing folk, family oriented; they relied on the tribe for communal success. The truth was that there was no way she could leave him and his niece alone there on the island, to be eventually eaten by the cannibalistic Kona tribe. But he was in a new world now, and that would take some adjusting. She raised her eyebrows. Much like Somni, in Hae Joo's world, Zachry was naïve in an advanced society. Meronym rushed on the flight deck and worked her way to the front. A group of prescients were looking out of the front window, murmuring in puzzlement. Corbin saw her, and came to her.

"Thank god you are here. I have no idea how he got there." Corbin said, pushing Meronym to the front of the crowd.

"Got where? …By Somni!" she exclaimed, putting her hands up on the window. There, dangerously close the edge of the ship's gentle, sloping front, was Zachry, standing on the bow, his cloak blowing in the rising breeze.


	4. Chapter 4 Doctrine

Meronym stared at Zachry for a few moments, wondering what he was thinking. For a few seconds she held her breath; was he so upset about what they talked about? The more she looked at him, the less that seemed likely. He seemed comfortable, walking a little back and forth, just as if he was walking on the cliffs on his island. His body moved with the gentle up and down motion of the ship as it went slow over the water. Then he sat down. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think we have to get him, he may fall." Corbin said, with concern.

"No, I don't think so. He is a goat herder. I have seen him walk on more treacherous cliffs and outcroppings than this hull. "Meronym said, keeping her eyes on Zachry. Corbin crossed his arms.

"Well, the hull of our ship is not a place to take an afternoon stroll. And we have to go into hyperdrive with the hovermotor; there is a storm closing in and we have to try and outrun it." Corbin warned, looking out over the starboard side at the dark, forboding clouds in the distance. Meronym looked at him.

"Have you asked him to come back in?" she inquired. Corbin looked stumped.

"No, I don't really know how to speak his language." was the excuse. Meronym crossed her arms, shaking her head.

"Really? Corbin, Valleyman Speak is just a dialect of Prescient, Consumer, English whatever you want to call it. It is not Subspeak…"she started, then gave up when Corbin shrugged his shoulders. "I'll go get him." She mumbled as she walked by him.

"Thank you!" Corbin replied back. Then he did a double take. "What?!"

She was already on her way.

Meronym walked down two levels, to where there was an open walkway on the side of the ship. Meronym shut off the annoying frantic calls of Corbin that were coming through on her device. She walked as far as she could to the front of the ship. There, adjacent to the end of the opening in the hull was horizontal white metal bars, about every foot, going all the way up to the top of the ship's hull.

"So that is how you got there." Meronym said, and without thinking, she reached out and grabbed the bars, and pulled herself up. Once on the access ladder, she went up a few rungs until she made the mistake of looking down. The water churning around far beneath her scared her and she pulled in closer to the hull. She squinted her eyes shut and breathed deeply a few times.

"What in hell have I gotten myself into..." she said, looking up. It was definitely closer up than down. "Come on Meronym, you can do this. Gotta get this man off the hull." She said, her heart pumping in her chest. She climbed it slowly, until she got to the point where the rounded hull flattened enough for her to walk. She was not as steady as Zachry, it seemed. There was a raised rubber runner that went from as far back as she could see, rounding around the front of the ship, about a foot in width. Meronym surmised this was probably for maintenance, not for strolls. She looked back at the flight deck. Corbin threw his arms up and grabbed his head, shaking it. Meronym held up her hand to signal patience.

She walked up, and although terrified, the wind rushing through her hair and the expanse of ocean before her, she had to admit to herself, it was exhilarating. Zachry was looking around when she must have caught his eye. He turned around, in shock.

"Meronym, what in the name of Somni you doing here?" He said, jumping to his feet and coming to steady her. She grabbed his hands , and together they walked back to the front where it was most flat. "You best sit down or I'll have to be jumping into the drink to retrieve a lost prescient." He said. Meronym aquiessed, feeling unsteady.

"Zachry the query is why you walking on topside our prescient ship?" She said, as he plopped himself next to her. He looked at her seriously. Then looked out over the ocean, and waved his hand from side to side.

"In the bowels of this metal monster you call vessel I cog we moving forwardly but I cant feel or see the earth move. Disconected, apartlike from all surround. Up here reconnected I am. And I can see the sea creatures, delving neath the waves." He said. "Then I cog more about what you tell me in the tower on the Devil's mount. Bout' Somni just humankind, persecuted and killed like my Valleymen kin back there. I tell you true true Meronym it stab my soul. "

"I sorrysome Zachry…out of my place I was." Meronym said. She had been feeling upset about the sudden revelation. She still did not know why she did it…Zachry looked at her.

"All that is definite is what mouth taste, eye see, ears hear, hands feel. All the rest is what is up here." He pointed to his head "and in here." He put his fist on his heart. "All this Valleyman cog bout that is, the augerin' I hear from mouth of the abbess keeps me Somni-fearing man, when I think twicely."

"What she say?" Meronym asked. Zachry looked at her with one eye.

"In throws of revelation the Abbess say 3 orders from Somni herself. The first two the reason you still live to sit by my side. She tell me to go under the bridge when you nearly fall, and the Kona cross over. She tell me don't let you go when old Georgie filling my soul with lies on the mountain, when hands ableedin on the rope. The third time I filled with too much hate to stop me from slittin the throat of my enemy as he lay sleepin, when she said don't." Zachry stopped, getting choked up. "only aftern I hearin little Catkin wimpering neath the table, safe until I made it so the Kona I killed couldn't go back home with his herd. Nearly killed us both I did, until you come a savin us. "Meronym blinked. She didn't know her life was saved by a message supposedly sent by Somni.

"Don't cog what to say bout say so." Meronym said softly. Zachry looked at her then nodded.

"Samewise me. So…I cog someone, something out there bigger than I watchin over…don't care what or who. But me, simple folk, find it easy to cog one who walk the earth one day be god Somni next."

Meronym looked at him seriously. He stood and held out his hand.

"Seems like your kin want for us to return to the underbelly of the beast." He said, looking over her shoulder. She turned around. Corbin and a few other prescients were waving them in from the window. They both waved back.

"Long timewise we here. Must leave now. Storm's a commin'." Meronym said.

"Aye, fine storm lookin' like."

"But I like your choice of ocean watchin perch, though." Meronym said smuggly, walking back , Zachry going before her, but holding her hand tight. As she was climbing down the access ladder, Zachry waited for her below, and with his strong arms pulled her in to safety easily. He held on to her close, for a moment longer, as their eyes met. She held her breath as she examined his blue eye, the roughness in his skin, the tribal mark on his face.

"Sorrysome…" he said letting her go.

"Don't be." Meronym said, snaking her hand into his. He smiled.

"Something telling me can't make this habit or on this ship I not be welcome." He muttered. They walked silently back to her office. He stopped in front looking at the books . "Leave you back with your reading." He said.

"Interesting, very muchly so tis. I cog there much to be learned about holy ones by those they knew in sacred texts." She said.

"One day, tell me storylike." Zachry said, leaving her at the door of her office.

She went back in, sat down, and continued Hae Joo chang's discourse, right where she left off…

_With a few simple words she had disarmed me. I had completely underestimated the effect Somni would have on me. My mouth fell open a little, and it took me a second to regain my composure. She looked away politely. I suspended the orison and quickly opened up several screens. I took her hand and lifted it for the orison to scan her. _

_"This is my own private library. It covers many different topics. I will program it so that you can access all of this." I explained. She nodded. "What would you like to see?" I asked. She looked around the screens, and then at me._

_"What you think I should know." She replied. I turned to her. There was that look of slight worry on her face. I paused a second. I just realized I had made that expression again._

_"Somni, you have always been ordered what to think by others. I believe knowledge is a mirror; the more you learn about the world, the more you learn about yourself. But you have to be the captain of that voyage." I encouraged. _

_"But I do not know where to begin." She replied. I nodded in agreement; she was right. Living in such a rigid, restricted fashion was just hard for me to fathom. _

_I started to open random pages. A couple of screens showed artist painting on canvas, maps of the world, some poetry on one, scenes from an action vidi, one excerpt from a philosopher, and the video class of a rather eccentric physicist, Yusouf Suleiman. Her eyes lit up. "That one." She said. I wondered why she picked that one._

_I expanded it and together we looked at my favorite professor from university. I smiled as the equations appeared across the screen, as he lectured in his rather colorful way. At least he was entertaining._

_"What is he doing?" She asked, with curiosity. _

_"Teaching physics. The mathematics of how the world functions." I answered. "He made it interesting." I looked back at her. Her eyes were moving quickly over all the screens. _

_"Here, try it." I said, moving the orison in front of her. "Like this…" I said, showing her the tiny hand movements necessary to split screens, open menus. She moved her hands expertly, quickly learning how to control the screens. She had a wide eyed, open smile of delight. "Very good." I commented, sitting behind her. "You learn quickly." _

_"This interface is similar to the one I use at Papa Song." She said. "And yes, we do learn quickly." She continued. I did not quite understand. _

_"What do you mean?" I queried. She stopped and looked at me, then looked down shyly._

_"Seer Rhee used to say that Somni fabricants were easiest to train. We remember every detail." She returned to work with the screens. _

_I got up, leaving her alone for a few minutes to go into the bed room and check on supplies. I checked my bridge skywalk pod; it was in working order. I had several phasers in the closet on the shelf. I pushed one small phaser gun into my waistband. I looked around, then I found what I had come to get. It was a digi signaler, which I programed to alert me with location only when activated. I returned to the living area. _

_She stopped for a second to look at me again. _

_"Hae Joo," she asked "What do you look at on your orison?" I strolled over to her and after a moment of contemplation I opened my locked files. The red "BANNED" overlay put on there by Unanimity was visible on practically every screen. I looked back at her, to see her reaction. She blinked and looked at me solemnly. _

_"You don't have to look at these, if you don't want to." I said. She looked between me and the screens. _

_"Go on." She urged. I was quietly ecstatic. I considered locking the information on cytogenetics, but did not. At least it did not talk about exultation. _

_"I am a scientist, by training." I said. Not exactly what I do now, but I left it at that. "But I am very interested in philosophy, so I tend to read that the most." I maneuvered the bio on Solzhenitsyn before her. "This is who Mr. Cavendish was referring to last night." She was immediately captivated. I leaned back._

_Somni was deeply involved in exploring multiple screens at once, bright eyed, completely engaged. I backed up against the wall and just took it in. This is what Union wanted: a fabricant learning, teaching herself. Becoming immersed in what they called Union Propaganda. Union would have wanted me to be more involved in showing her what to read, but I did not believe that was right. She had spent all her life being told what to do, what to think, threatened with death if she disobeyed; I did not want any part of that with me. I was in awe of her, how excited she was, doing something so natural, as human as this: exploring the seas of knowledge. It was beautiful, as was she. I looked away. _

_At that moment, as if I had called her, she slowly looked back at me and put her arms down. There was that sweet little smile. I definitely felt a connection with her, that strange sensation in my chest…but I knew I had to remain on task. _

_"I like your… philosophy." She said. "very complicated, beautiful words."_

_"I cannot take credit for the work of such brilliant people." I said, smirking. She looked back at the screens. Before, all I saw was a naïve, innocent young woman, and now, I could sense that her inner strength was growing. But with her innocence will go her peace of mind. I had to broach the topic sometime, and my time for contact was growing short. I approached and sat down before her. _

_"Somni. " I said, not knowing just how to begin. She turned to face me with that charming air. "They do not like the fact that I took you away from Papa Song." Her expression became somber._

_"I know." She said, softly. "I cannot go back." She put her hands in her lap. "I do not want to go back." I was happy to hear that expression of will._

_"They are looking for you, and they if they find you, they will take you away. You are safe here, now, but we will probably have to go to another place soon. Do you understand?" I said. _

_"Yes, I do." She looked down. "I will go anywhere, with you." She said softly, raising her eyes. I put my hand on hers, and stroked it._

_"Yes. I will be with you, I promise." I gave her a small smile. I was not sure how much of that promise I could keep. "But first, I must go out for a short while, to make some arrangements. This…" I said, turning over her hand and placing the signaler in her palm "sends me a signal to tell me where you are. Use this only if you are in danger. I will come and find you." She cradled it in her hands, looking worried._

_I stood up and put on my jacket. I turned back to her, and there she stood. She looked sad and nervous. I walked up to her and held her shoulders. She was shaking._

_"I will be back soon. Just keep using the orison and the time will pass quickly." I suggested. "Don't worry, everything will be alright." I said, reassuringly. She nodded, but I felt she was not reassured. I looked at the time. I had to get to Union command. _

_I left the apartment, after showing Somni how to lock the door and reactivate the security behind me. I rushed down the stairs and onto the elevator on another floor. Once on the ground, I sneaked out the back door. Only when I was several blocks away did I turn to look back. Just a few hours together and a few seconds apart, already I missed her. _

_I hurried down into the underground passages and jumped on a small vehicle. I was speeding on my way to Old Seoul and Union command. What was I saying to her, about everything being alright? We were fugitives. I was harboring the most wanted fabricant in the city._

_I arrived to the border of Old Seoul and walked into it silently as I had done hundreds of times. I hurried down another set of stairs, into the abandoned subway tunnels and waited 5 minutes in the dark to see if I was being followed. All clear. I entered through the secret entrance and walked down the specific halls in this labyrinth of tunnels. I spoke my code word at the inner door. It opened. The guards greeted me with a nod. Atul, the Union Doctor and my friend, saw me from further within. His dark skin shown in the dark light, his teeth a bright white in his wide smile. He signaled for me to join him. _

_He greeted me with a firm grasp of my arm. I returned the greeting. "It is good to see you, Chang. We were concerned, waiting for your message." He said, walking with me down the hall. "Just why are you in such a rush?" he asked, looking at me questioningly. _

_"I need to speak with Apis." I said. "I have her." He stopped short for a second. _

_"The fabricant? Where?" he said, catching up. _

_"Safe house in Neo Seoul."_

_We stopped at the door outside of the General's Office. His guard walked in for a second, then came back to the door. I handed him my weapon, and after patting us down, he showed us in. General Apis was there, leaning over a map on his desk. Several others lingered in the dark corners._

_"Commander Chang." he said, expectantly. "You are the last one to contact. We were about to send..." I could not contain myself._

_"General, I have her. Sonmi 451." I interjected. He grunted, with a small smile on his lips and sat down. There were murmurs behind us. I turned to see several familiar faces; one I knew as Damyen, the spy from the head of ministry. There was also Marcus, a chief enforcer and Damyen's guard, also Union spies. I gave a small nod. They were serious, returning the gesture. _

_"Well that is good news. " Apis said. He leaned forward. "And how is she?"_

_"She is doing well. " I replied. "For now she is safe."_

_"Do you think she will be able to make the transition to free will?" He asked, pointedly. "And complete our mission?" I knew this was for the spy's ears. _

_"I believe she can." I said. Damyen stepped up. _

_"The ministry is up in arms. Enforcers are everywhere; the search is extensive in the city; they will question everyone and knock down every closed door. It is almost as if they know our plans." He looked over to me, then back at Apis. "I will see what information they have on Chang and get rid of it if possible. I will keep you informed." Damyen and his entourage left. Apis watched him go. There was a questionable relationship between those two. The general looked at me again, this time with a big smile. _

_"I knew you would be able to do it, my gentle son. Now tell me. What is this Somni 451 like?" he said, motioning to a seat nearby. I sat down._

_"She escaped with me of her own accord, with a little urging of course. She is very shy and timid, but I believe there is courage and strength in her. " I said. "And she has already started learning, reading banned literature..." His eyebrows rose. I continued to sing her praises for a few minutes. I saw the smirk building on his face. _

_"Is that so?" he said. "When can I meet her?" _

_"Not quite yet." I said, standing up. "I have not told her certain details of who I am, and why I freed her." He sat back._

_"I am surprised she did not yet ask." He commented, a single eyebrow rising in disapproval. "Omission can be considered deceit."_

_"She trusts me" I responded quickly "and does not question my motivation."_

_ "Even so, you must tell her soon. She should come here, to be safe." he warned. _

_"Yes of course, but..." I said, as I paced. "I do not want to overwhelm her. I think the problem thus far has been that the other officers were more concerned about the mission than the fabricant they were trying to save." The general looked at me with interest. "They were doomed to fail." I insisted._

_"You care about Somni 451." He said, with that raised eyebrow. I looked away. I should have known; Apis could always see right through me._

_"Yes." I admitted to him, but also to myself. _

_"That is why you will succeed." He said. He poured himself some tea. "Your intentions are pure, Hae Joo. That is what she sees. That is why she trusts you." I thought that was some kind of approval._

_"I can only proceed as fast as she is able to tolerate. In the end, it must be her choice, to go along with the plan." I insistd, as Apis sipped his tea and sat back. "Is that not the spirit of our quest? Self-determination?" I asked. _

_"Truer words I could not have said." Apis nodded._

_We continued our short discussion on security measures; more Union soldiers would be assigned for surveillance around the safe house. Time was not our friend. General Apis did not like delay. I told him I would prefer to bring her back to my hideout in Old town. To hide her in plain sight. There, I hoped to have her continue her learning and development under my close watch in a slightly more palatable place than the tunnels of Old Seoul. He did not like that plan, but he would allow it._

_I went back to the apartment under the cover of darkness. I had not been away long, but I felt anxious to get back, if only to allay her fears. Or were they my fears? I sprinted up the stairs to in the last few floors avoid the cameras in the elevators. All seemed quiet. _


	5. Chapter 5 Student

_Chap. 5 _

_I entered the apartment and I locked the door behind me, securing it before uttering a sound._

_"Somni?" I huffed with exertion. I looked around, not seeing her; for a moment, a rock formed in my chest. _

_"Hae Joo?" I heard her say, and then I saw her look out the door of the bedroom, her hands clasped tight. Relief flowed over her face. She mirrored my own immediate relief. She walked up to me. "I am so happy you are back." She said, seeming almost in tears. Almost instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her. I was relieved to see her as well. I breathed heavily as I held her close. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, worry in her voice. _

_"I am fine, just a little winded because I ran up the stairs." I said, letting her go, sitting down on one of the chairs in the living area. She put on the table what she had been grasping tightly: the digi signaler. She kneeled down on her heels in front of me. _

_"I do not like being here alone." She admitted, nervously. I should have realized that being by herself would be difficult for her. She was never alone, in Papa Song. "Did it all go well?" she continued. _

_"Yes, it did go very well. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have to leave again…" I said, my voice trailing as my eyes wandered down the close-fitting black body suit she was wearing that hugged her curves. My eyes wandered back to her face, but something was different. I looked at her, puzzled for a moment, and then I realized what was missing. Somni had removed her badges of a replicant server; the two streaks of colored hair on the side of her head. I could not stop the smile forming on my lips as I was staring at her hair. _

_"I like what you have done." I complemented, as I stroked her hair gently where the colored strands once hung. Her hair was soft and smooth as silk. She nodded and smiled shyly. As I inhaled the clean smell of her freshly washed hair, I realized how sweaty and covered with grime I was from the underground venture. I stood up and headed to the bathroom._

_"Please, give me a few moments to clean up." I said. _

_When I exited the bathroom, I found Somni standing at the open window looking up. She now had on a light cover up pulled around her shoulders. I walked up slowly and leaned against the wall, next to her. She looked over at me, a peaceful expression on her face._

_"What are you looking at?" I asked, scanning the horizon of buildings and city lights. _

_"The sky. The real sky." She said soflty. "We never saw the real sky at Papa Song. Just a vidi on the ceiling." She explained, that look of wonder on her face as she turned her eyes again to the night sky. My gaze followed. As I traveled that day, I didn't realize the storms the day before had gone and left an unusual sight; a clear night. Sometimes I failed to notice the most beautiful things. I looked back down at her. Well, maybe not; I did notice her. I looked back at the sky, but most of it was obstructed in this particular view. I had an idea… _

_"Would you like to see it all?" I said. I knew I was taking a bit of a risk. She nodded enthusiastically. It would be worth it. _

_We walked up several flights of stairs and exited on the roof. I signaled for her to be quiet while I checked the area. All clear. I returned for her. _

_"Come." I said, holding her hand and pulling her to the center of the roof. She was in awe, her eyes wide. I stood back and watched her. Sonmi spun slowly looking all around, eyes taking it in like breath. Her hair swirled around her perfect features, her red lips opened in awe, the light coat flapping around her curves,. I looked up myself. _

_The wind was cool, pushing the small shadows of dark clouds past the multitude of stars out that night. The moon was hidden; it was only the cold blue neon lights of the city that disrupted the sky, closer to the horizon, where the hulking angular shadows of buildings studded with lights reigned supreme. _

_"It is so big, endless." She whispered, drawing my gaze again. "I feel so small under these stars." She looked at me. I looked at the Constellation Orion. As I pointed, she followed my gaze. _

_"There, in that quadrant, are the 4 off world colonies. Millions of miles away, our human brothers and sisters are extending our reach into the universe." I said. At first, I had wanted to travel to the stars. But then I decided to work on the problems on our home planet first; before it was too late. _

_"Your brothers and sisters you mean. Mine are here on earth, born from womb tanks, genetically engineered for specific tasks." She looked at me, with a sad expression, walking away, a little closer to the edge. She had found the information on cytogenetics. I guess that was to be expected. "We were often reminded that we are not purebloods. Not human." _

_"Somni. All fabricants are human. You just develop in a different way. Pureblood is just a term used by those wanting to feel superior." I countered. She looked at me with a quizzical expression._

_"Do you really believe that?" She questioned. _

_"With all my soul." I said. She looked out over the city and looked down; she was about two feet from the edge. She gasped and became very scared, then became unsteady. I rushed behind her, grabbing her arms. She could not move. _

_"Step back, slowly, to me" I said. "Look up." She was shaking, but did it. When we backed up far enough, she turned around in my arms and held my shirt tightly, eyes clamped shut. I held her close and rocked her, soothing her like a scared child. "It's alright, I have you." I said, pressing my face against her hair. I felt awful. I should have been more careful, not let her get that close to the edge. _

_"What happed to me?" She said, opening her eyes._

_"You are afraid of heights. A very common HUMAN fear." I insisted, a smirk on my face. _

_"But I was afraid of falling off the building."_

_ "That is what I meant." I started to laugh, shaking my head. _

_We walked back down to the apartment. She had been chilled by the night air, she went to the bedroom to change. After, we sat down in the living room together. _

_"You do not fear heights…" she said, sitting across from me._

_"True." I said. Especially after Union training, where we had to walk on walls and ropes and bridges and learn to dodge phaser blasts while doing it. _

_"What do you fear, Hae Joo?" She asked, with that expression. I thought about it. Really, I did not fear many things. Ah, there was one thing. _

_"I fear a world where I could not control my life." I said. She nodded. _

_"Control over one's own life is foreign to me." She said. "I did not even know what freedom was." I leaned back in the chair and looked at her. _

_"Did you ever consider leaving Papa Song? To see what was out here?" I questioned. She shook her head._

_"Yoona was the one who had such aspirations. Until she showed me the vidi, I just did what I was told. Fear of excisement was enough to thwart any actions beyond that."_

_"Didn't you ever want a different kind of life for yourself?"_

_"To want what one cannot have will only lead to unhappiness. At Papa Song, we do not own anything. Everything we share with our sisters. We do not do anything on our own. We did not need anything. I did not even once consider myself capable of changing my situation at Papa Song." _

_"Are you happy I took you away from there?" I asked. She smiled at me, nodding._

_"I cannot see my life being any other way now." Already her eyes seemed wiser, richer. She got up and approached the wall showing Old Seoul. "But sometimes, despite our best efforts, there are things we cannot change." _

_"What do you mean?" I asked. She turned to look at me, sadness in her eyes._

_"You believe that fabricants are humans. The rules around us are based on differences between fabricants and purebloods, and they define our existence." _

_"Then the rules must change. The differences between us are not enough that fabricants should be treated as inferior." I said, trying to convince her. She knelt down before me, quite close. _

_"But we are very different. Even your heart beats slower than mine." she said, looking into my eyes. "I find it comforting." I was taken aback at how close she just became. The concept of personal space must be different for fabricants. I did not mind her in mine, but I felt my heart beating harder in my chest, right at that moment, because of her proximity. She backed up a little, maybe realizing?_

_"Fabricants have faster metabolisms, like that of a child. So you grow faster, breathe faster, and have faster heart beats." I said, becoming technical. She smirked._

_"The biggest difference, we were told, is that purebloods are unique and special. There are hundreds of fabricants just like me." She said, turning away, a little more saddened. "If Yoona had not been excised...she would have been…" she said, not finishing her thought. _

_"Somni. Look at me." I said, softly, yet insistently. She turned her head slowly to face me again. Her eyes rose up._

_"I want you to know this. I came back that night to Papa Song just for YOU. Trust me, Somni 451. You are unique." She searched my face. "And very special."_

_"I am not unique. I am genetically designed…" I looked at her with that expression again. She stopped talking mid-sentence. I sighed._

_"Let me give you an example. Identical twins are much like fabricant clones, created naturally in a woman's womb, the babies are genetic equals. Say I was an identical twin; I would have the same face, same hair, same eyes, and same height, everything as my brother. But I would still be unique because of my thoughts and my actions. Our personalities would be different. It is what we do with what we are given that really matters. That is the truth." I said. Her expression changed to a more knowing gaze. _

_"There seems to be disagreement about what is 'truth' and what is the interpretation of truth." She said. "Earlier, I read of many instances where 'truth' was used for the opposite intent. Lies were used to protect truth. Respect for life was used as reason to kill others. Love was used to as a reason to indulge in hateful acts. Freedom was used as an excuse for incarceration." _

_"Disagreement over what is truth is a constant source of discord and conflict." I said. As she stood up and walked around, I could see her mind working by the changing expressions on her face. "I disagree with what some consider 'truth' in Neo Seoul." I stated._

_"Making fabricants and purebloods both believe that fabricants are less than human is a means to an end. In order to treat someone less than human, you have to find a way to make them inhuman." She said, walking behind me._

_"That's right." I agreed. _

_ "That is why we were told we are fabricants, not humans." She continued. "so that we believe we must serve purebloods."_

_"That is what the fabricant industry and its 'catechisms' is all about." I said. "Otherwise known as slavery." She was now in front of me. She nodded in understanding._

_"But without the fabricant industry I would not exist." She countered, her head tilted, her eyes slightly narrowed, looking my way._

_"True enough." I replied. "But just because you were made by something does not mean it must control you forever." She stopped. _

_"I read about slavery, throughout the ages. It occurs once one group can exploit the differences in another and make them subservient. Until people who disapprove try to end the practice." She looked at me. I nodded. "But the generalized perception of injustice has to occur. Then the generalized intolerance to injustice."_

_"We humans keep making the same mistakes over and over throughout history, Somni." I stated. Now I was truly impressed. She was getting all of this. _

_"Catastrophe can occur if these wrongs are made right; in a society based on those wrongs it can devolve into chaos." She said, turning her head away._

_"Is that enough reason to maintain things as they are? Because it is never really maintained, it just gets worse and worse." _

_"Leading either way to the inevitable collapse of that civilization." She said, a strange, faraway look in her eyes. "But there are other truths that help keep the balance through time. Kindness and wrongdoing twist the fates of souls as they meander through eternity." I stared at her, in amazement. Now I was the one who was lost._

_We sat in the living area for a little longer, sipping hot chocolate drinks, discussing less heady topics, based what she had read about that day. Eventually, I was so tired that I convinced her it was time for bed. I guess the fact also was that was usually by myself; being with Somni was certainly enjoyable, but I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, and needed a little time to think. She went to the bedroom and I to my mat in the living area. I looked up at the vidi on the ceiling. _

_I could not believe how much she had read and learned in such a short time, how much she had internalized and processed. I had been taught about how ignorant fabricants were; I realized that was all a lie. Somni 451 was brilliant. But was it just her? Was she unique in her own line? I knew there were slight variations that occurred in the cloning process, but not usually that great. If Somni was indicative of the potential of the fabricants that made what was happening to them under Unanimity all the more criminal. _

_But what about what I was feeling for her now? I had to admit it to myself; my feelings for her were evolving. Was that characteristic figured into the development of her line? To be endearing? Probably not. On my way back through Old town, I had passed a brothel. I did a double take; I saw a Somni in the window, looking down at me. She was a stolen fabricant, they are compliant so she now served another "Seer". She seemed like a ghost like doppelgänger. Even though she looked identical to Somni 451, she did not have any of the characteristics I found appealing. She seemed empty. _

_That was it; Somni had a personality, a kindness and sweetness to her that I just did not feel from other fabricants. She possessed a different look in her eye, expressions on her face. Was it just her? Or her and me that made this happen? I did care about her; and that had developed almost instantly. I don't know why. I had never found fabricants attractive or appealing before. I now found my Somni more captivating than any pureblood I ever knew. _

_As I drifted off to sleep, I recalled my discussion with Apis. I did not want to leave our little place, but we had to. I made plans in my head, to leave in the evening the next day, under the cover of darkness._

Meronym yawned, looking out over the waters, sky now peppered with stars. This seemed a good place to stop reading or else she would be sitting there all night. She shut the book, and closed her office. She was learning much more about the rebellion that eventually overthrew Unanimity than what was previously known, more about the personalities involved. These artifacts were an important find indeed.

General Ankor was right; Hae Joo Chang was just the type of person that an innocent like Somni would have needed to introduce her to the world, and to the rebellion. Meronym knew that if she had met Hae Joo Chang, she would have liked him instantly. He seemed so gentle and yet committed to his cause, and thankfully, extremely thorough in his writing. Meronym felt like a voyeur in their lives, but as a historian, she felt very little guilt.

Meronym walked back to her room. She thought about looking in briefly on Catkin and Zachry. The new passengers were in a specialized suite where they could be remotely monitored, and where the mechanisms of the room could be accessed and overridden by the Precients with the authority. That proved useful when Catkin didn't know how to turn off the water in the bathroom, and Zachry nearly destroyed it trying to shut it off. They were present in their room, most likely sleeping, according to the waveforms monitoring their vital signs. She walked past their door to her own, which was nearby.

"Scanning…Abnormal vital signs…please visit the infirmary at your earliest convenience. Notice sent to the infirmary." Said the computer in her room, as she entered.

Meronym rolled her eyes. She would have to go see Duophysite. He was kind but definitely interested in her as more than a patient. Meronym did not feel quite the same, and could not return his sweet advances. She had been avoiding him, not willing to go for her post-exposure exam, knowing how much he would scold her for her high radiation exposure. She saw the numbers increasing as she had walked up to send her message on Mount Essau, she stopped looking at it out of fear.

"What vital signs are abnormal?" Meronym said. She felt a little tired, but fine otherwise.

"Blood pressure decreased. Temperature increased. Heart rate increased…"

"Ok, thank you that's enough." Meronym insisted to her computerized nursemaid. It didn't sound much like anything that would kill her overnight, so she just continued with her nighttime routine. Meronym cleaned up for bed then tucked herself into the silken sheets. She thought over her conversation with Zachry. His words echoed in her head: 'Simple folk believe… walk the earth one day and god Somni next'.

First off, Meronym did not believe that Zachry was a simple man. He was quite intelligent; as time went on in his tribe, she felt that he would have become a leader if not for the shame he wore in his heart about his brother in law and nephew. He had a certain way of saying and thinking about things in general that demonstrated deep understanding. If he had been prescient, Meronym wondered what he would have been like, what he would have achieved.

Next, she thought of his proposition of Somni. World history of religions was peppered with humans who transcended to god status: The pharaohs in Egypt, Jesus, Mohammed, the Dali Lama. They were history for her, but the thought of Somni rising to the status of "god" was a confusing one. She had not yet seen why she did rise to such a religious role later; not only for the Valleymen, but peoples before. Somni's words were inspiring and comforting, and spurred discussions of reincarnation and the fate of souls among some of the more philosophical of her people. But Meronym would need more evidence.

As she drifted to sleep, she thought of Zachry's strong arms encircling her back on the deck, and how much she liked being close to him. At that moment, when his hands encircled her waist, it sent a flutter in her chest. Was it his mystery, or his rough exterior and wildness that caught her attention? All the prescient men around her, though kind, just did not produce that visceral reaction within her. Maybe it was because he seemed to be a puzzle, a dark, deep pool of wonder, primed for her to try to figure out. But was Zachry ready for her to jump in?

The next day, Meronym was not feeling well, but she managed to get up to get something to eat. The boat was rocking a bit side to side so she attributed her lightheadedness to that. They were trying to go around a wide typhoon, and not get too far off course, so they had to stay fairly close to the effect of the storm, and the ships stabilizers were having a difficult time. While they ran around, she went to put away her things in the office. Then she was busy helping to batten down the supplies of the ship. In this endevour, Zachry was very helpful. He was vigilant with the men, holding large heavy objects in freight as they secured it. He made a few friends that day. Zachry nodded at everyone politely, but largely stayed quiet. He joined her for dinner later that day.

"Wind and wave still win over this vessel when power is in question". He said, sitting across from her. He looked at her face and a concerned expression came over his. "Meronym, you feeling stomach queasy head a spinning?" he asked.

"No…not really." She answered. Actually, she was was feeling worse than before. "Why you ask?" she wondered.

"Color drained from your face." He answered, taking hold of her hand. "Hands like ice they are." His hand went to her forehead. "Hot like fire feeling." He said, his concern getting greater.

"Truesome? Well, I best be going to see medicine man." Meronym said, getting up. She had forgotten about her 'date' with Duophysite. Now she was feeling a headache coming on.

"I goin' with you." He said. Meronym turned to protest, but thought against it. They walked down the hall and as they were about to enter the elevator she faltered a step. Zachry steadied her. He took her into the elevator.

"Level 3…" Meronym said, just as she completely lost her balance. Zachry cradled her fall, then lifted her in his arms, and found his way to the infirmary, as people in the hall directed him. The world was swirling around, Zachry calling her name getting farther and farther away.

The next thing Meronym remembered was waking up in the infirmary on a bed. Duophysite was by her side. In the background, she saw Zachry pacing and looking quite concerned.

"You have quite a bodyguard here." He whispered to her. "Hello Meronym. Why have you not come to see me? And how long have you been feeling ill?" Duophysite held her hand and stroked her hair. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zachry stop pacing.

"Hi Duo. I'm sorry, I was just so busy…" He crossed his arms.

"Busy trying to hide the fact that you got near lethal levels of radiation poisoning, miss?" He said, picking up a tablet and scrolling through the data. "You knew, I would eventually find out. I need to treat that as soon as possible." He said, the scowl on his handsome face a fair warning. She nodded.

"I just started feeling sick last night. I know, I should have seen you before." She said, smiling. "I do feel better already." He smirked and sat down on her bed.

"A unit of synthetic blood will make anyone so anemic feel better. I had to give you antibiotics as well; I do not know the origin of your fever. Our tests thusfar show no infection." He leaned forward. "I am not worried about now Meronym. I can do what I must to support you until your bone marrow and the rest of you come back to normal. I am worried about long term effects. I am glad I made you wear that lead belt. At least your fertility won't be in question."

"Duo, please! Don't talk like that…" she said.

"Meronym, you know you are one of our healthiest young females. A precious part of our tribe that we must protect. You should respect that very important position." He said, leaning close, touching her cheek. Meronym scowled.

"Makes me feel like a prized sheep to be put up for mating." She said, crossing her arms. Duophysite smiled.

"It will happen, naturally enough for you one day Meronym," Duophosyte said "preferably with someone who deserves you." Meronym now felt quite uncomfortable but smiled back. "In any case, you need to stay here for a few days" he informed her. Meronym groaned.

Zachry walked close to the bed. He had enough of waiting in the shadows. Duophysite stood up and faced him. Meronym felt even more awkward.

"What he sayin about poisoning?" Zachry asked.

"Radiation poisoning. Waves in the air, you can't see it or feel it. But it harms you. There are high levels on Big Island. Especially where you went, up on the mountain." Duophysite said, addressing Zachry's question.

"You cog what he say?" Meronym asked. Zachry nodded.

"If I go where she go, how come I not poison samewise?" He asked. Duophysite looked pensive, then walked around Zachry.

"True. Why are you not as affected? Your people are exposed to much more radiation on a regular basis, yet you don't look the worse for wear…" he said. He walked away, deep in thought.

"What the medicine man cog 'bout what happen with you. You goin get better, right?" Zachry said, crouching by her bed. Meronym turned her body to face him.

"He say I be alright with medicine. Just tired's all. Restin' up in here what I need."

Duophysite approached them again, this time with several other people around him.

"She will be fine for now… Zachry, is it? But she has to take more care of herself." He said, shooting a glance to Meronym, who rolled her eyes and smirked. He started walking around the bed, waving a scanning device around Zachry, who barely noticed.

"Then that I make sure you do." Zachry said, gruffly, looking intently at Meronym.

"Stop." Meronym whispered, holding his hand. Duophysite noticed, pausing for a moment.

"Look, Zachry. I can't tell right now if the radiation has had any effect on you. From what we can see, you are normal and healthy. That should not be possible. But maybe there is something in your metabolism, your blood, that protects you." Zachry nodded. Meronym pulled on his hand, to ask if he understood.

"I cog what he say. Something in valleyman body protectin from the poison." Zachry responded. He looked at Douphysite. "How we find out what?" Duophysite looked impressed.

"We would need to run tests, if you would let us. Maybe we could find something that can help Meronym." Duophysite said. Zachry looked at them, then back at Meronym.

"Whatever you need I give. Do what I can to help those who help me and my kin." He looked intently at Meronym, who looked questioningly at Duophysite.

"Give me a minute please." Meronym said to the medical entourage. They backed away. "Zachry, you don't have to…" Meronym said. Zachry grabbed her hand in both of his, kneeling down so his head was close to hers. He spoke in a pained whisper.

"Meronym. I been through enough loss for thousand souls. Gone, most my family and my tribe, my home. I can't lose no more, lest I lose my mind." His eye locked on hers. Meronym was touched.

"Alright." She said, softly.

"Thank you Zachry." Duophysite said, motioning him to go with his assistants. As he walked away, Meronym questioned Duophysite.

"What are you going to do to him?" she asked. Duophysite crossed his arms.

"We can only theorize the mechanism of the Valleyman and Kona tribe's resistance to radiation. We have never had the chance to examine one of these peoples with their permission. We will have to do some biopsies, take some blood, marrow and run whatever tests we can here on the ship. He will give us a very important volume of information." he said." And possibly a cure…"

"You are using him." Meronym acused.

"That is a little strong, Meronym." He responded. "Look, when I tried to examine him before, he was quite reticent when he first came on the ship. Now, thanks to you, I think he will be quite agreeable." Duophysite said. "I won't hurt him. Just some minor discomfort." Meronym looked over at Zachry, now on the other side of the infirmary. He was being changed into a gown so they could better examine him. From across the distance Meronym saw Zachry look her way.

"Just take good care of him." She said, turning away from Duophysite.


	6. Chapter 6 Infirmity

When Meronym was told she had to stay in the infirmary, she thought for sure she would go crazy. She was put up in a room they usually used for isolation, because it was the only area with a little privacy. She was not one used to staying in one place for long. She loved travel, seeing new places and peoples; which is why she became what she was in the tribe. On the first day of her medical confinement, Catkin came to visit her.

"Meronym!" the sweet little voice said. Meronym turned over in her bed and smiled. Catkin had a bundle in her arms. Behind her was Zachry. He pulled a chair closer to bedside.

"Catkin, honey. How are you?" said Meronym. She gave the little girl a hug. Zachry flashed a quick smile. Catkin sat on the edge of the bed and plopped the package in Meronym's lap.

"Bring you present make you feel better." Catkin said. "Open it! Open it!" She said.

"Oh I donno. It gonna bite?" Meronym joked. Catkin giggled. Meronym opened the neat wrapping. Inside was a necklace made of shells, stones and twine. Meronym picked it up, puzzled.

"It a talisman from home. Wear this one moonrise and then throw in the ocean. Go with it the demons that made you sick." She said, a big smile on her face. Meronym smiled back.

"Thanksome, young medicine woman." Meronym said. Then she looked down again, moving a paper off of her next bundle. Behind this was a handmade fabric doll, well made, that looked just like Meronym.

"Oh my! She so sweet!" Meronym practically squealed. She looked at the tight, well done stitching, and the little details, like the communication device on the side of the head. "Catkin girl, you talentsome with your hands. This is beautiful." Catkin beamed. Meronym was truly impressed

"Been makin it since back at home. Momma said I do magic with needle and thread. I teachin it to all the Prescient kids now. They not so good with the hands." She whispered to Meronym.

"Not surprizin. Presient not good teachin practical matters much as booksmarts." Meronym said. Zachary pointed back into the package.

"Keep lookin." He said, gruffly. Meronym rummaged around. Inside was the journal from her office. She looked up in surprise to Zachry.

"Figuring you have some time to do your readin'." He said. "Aint nothin' worse than a story left undone." He said. She smiled; surprised he would even have touched it. She reached out and held his hand.

"Thanksome. Zachry." She said, "Really. So how the testin' going and all?" she said, looking at him with curiosity.

"Taint nothing but a poking here and there, lying in machines a-buzzin in the ear. None too hard to do." He said.

"You told me the needles long like wings on raptor, twice sharp as claws!" Catkin interjected.

"Was just trying to make your uncle seem brave, young un." He said. Catkin scowled at Zachry as he smirked.

"Best be goin to my classes! Bye Meronym. Hope you better soon." Catkin skipped out. Meronym turned back to Zachry.

"She join the school. Lovin every minute learnin' Prescient ways." Zachry said. Meronym smiled.

"That be good for young un." Meronym advised. "She need to know how best be living in prescient village, be her new home now. And Catkin smart, she learn quick." He nodded and looked down.

"Yey, that she is." Zachry grew quiet, that brooding expression came over him. "Meronym, why you climb Mount Essau knowin bout poison?"

"My people need me to. Zachry, you cog muchly bout giving self so kin better. So precient friend better?" she said, catching his glance. Zachry looked at her intently. He leaned over her and stroked her hair. At that moment, Duophysite walked in, a little taken aback by the scene. He regained his composure quickly.

"Good morning, Meronym, Zachry." He said, walking over to her bedside. Meronym looked at him. "You are just getting some more medicine today, no tests. But for you, Zachry, we have some things to do." He nodded.

"Like the man said, Got more testing be done." Zachry said, looking at Meronym and standing up. After a pause, he leaned forward put his hand on her hair and kissed her forehead, which surprised Meronym. Duophysite's brows knitted . "But have you something interesting in hand, pass the time quickly now." Zachry said, turning to leave. He paused at the door and looked back.

"I look in on you later, that OK?" he asked. She nodded.

"Please do." She sighed. She smiled at Duophysite, who looked a bit put out. "Thank you for everything, Duo." She said, trying to make him feel better. After they both left, Meronym laughed at herself. She was not sure why Zachry chose to kiss her then, but his timing was impeccable, it was something Duophysite needed to see. Maybe Zachry thought so too; or maybe he intended to do it anyway, and didn't care who else was around. She shook her head. Maybe he was marking his territory. Simple man, indeed. Every day, he seemed more and more attractive. Meronym leaned back in the pillows, talisman around her neck, the little Meronym doll sitting beside her, finding where she left off in the journal.

_I heard the sound of a hypojet, and felt a sharp sting in my upper arm that sucked my consciousness back to reality. I blinked, opening my eyes and sucked in an agonizing breath. I became aware of searing pain shooting in my left arm, the back of my head and my ribcage. I looked around. I was in the union infirmary. I saw Atul before me. _

Meronym stopped for a second, re checking that she started in the right place. Yes, this was the very next entry in the book. She flipped to the back, and she looked again at the picture of the young man. A chill ran over her body as Hae Joo seemed to stare at her across the ages; that he was also in an infirmary was eerie. She continued reading.

_ "Chang! Can you hear me?" Atul said, sounding far away. I grimaced and groaned in agony. Another hypojet and the pain became less severe, slowly. Atul was attending to me in his role as Union physician. My consciousness became fogged. I relaxed and then I sat up in fear…_

_"Somni! Where is she?" I gasped as I tried to rise, and then gritted my teeth as the throbbing ache shot through my body. I moaned. Another hypojet and the world seemed to clear a little more. I could not move my left shoulder._

_ "Chang take it easy. You are lucky to be alive." He pushed me down, back on the bed. "I cannot begin to fix anything until you stop fighting me! I can't believe I saw you fall ten stories, through a roof, and here you are, still able to think. You are lucky my patrol was right there in the shadows to scrape you up before the enforcers finished you."_

_"Where is she?!" I asked again, grabbing his arm desperately. My head pounded with every thought. _

_"She was arrested, taken to Ministry." He acquiesced. "I think she is still alive but I do not know for how much longer." He said in a low tone, attending to his instruments. _

_"I have to save her… I promised her …" I said, trying to sit up. I fell back, panting, my broken ribs aching with each breath, making me breathe shallow. Atul looked at me angrily._

_"You are in no shape to save anyone right now. I will have to knock you out with all the work I have to do." He said, shaking his head. _

_"Not yet." I heard a familiar voice from the doorway say. General Apis walked in and Marcus followed. They stood on either side of my bed. "We need some information." Marcus said, looking at Atul. _

_"He is not ready…" Atul grunted his disapproval._

_"We only need moments, Atul." Apis said, waving him back with a hand. Marcus turned to me._

_"How much does Somni 451 know about Union, and this location?" Marcus questioned. I breathed short, panting breaths, the only ones I could take._

_"Nothing." I panted. "She does not… even …know…I am Union." I said, my voice failing. "I have ...to save her…" _

_"No, Chang. You cannot. Not this time."Apis said. Marcus nodded then turned to walk to the corner of the room. My head fell back as a hypojet shot more burning, pain numbing medicine into my arm. _

_"I am giving you enough painkillers to drop an ox. Yet you still move." Atul complained. _

_"I think that we have our information." Apis said, looking at me, patting my shoulder with fatherly concern. "Carry on, Atul." Then Apis walked to face Marcus. I closed my eyes, but I could hear every word. _

_"That is good to know. We will not have to silence her." Marcus said. "That would have been distasteful." Silence her. That meant kill her to keep her quiet, keep our secrets if they tried to get information out of her. I struggled to keep still. _

_"What can we do to get her out?" Apis said. Marcus sighed._

_"I don't know. She is in high security. Boardman Mephi is coming to see her later to decide what to do with her. Until then, they will probably leave her alone." _

_Boardman Mephi. One of the Unanimity leadership, a cold blooded, calculating eradicator. He was their propaganda liaison. He took care of sticky situations. _

_"A band of our best men; covert entry from below." Apis suggested. _

_"It will not work. Even a battalion of Union in full assault would not penetrate fast enough. They would lock down, and move her where we could not reach her. Or just kill her." _

_"Blast open the wall, pluck her out, retrieve her that way."Apis suggested. _

_"Too risky. We might hurt her. And they would scramble the birds quickly. Our rescue would never get away." Marcus said. _

_"Our best lone operative is down." Apis murmured. Marcus grunted in agreement. _

_"A single man would not stand a chance anyway. Listen, General. I know she is important, but now that we know she knows nothing about us, the need to free her…well…may not be worth the risk to Union resources." Someone took a few steps. "There will be other fabricants, right? " Silence. I was shaken. I heard them leave the room._

_"She is a very special fabricant, Marcus." Apis replied. They walked out of earshot. _

_My implant vibrated. Somni's digi signaler was activated. I had the immediate flashing of internal images, of locations. Ministry Building. Twelfth floor. Northwest corner cell. _

_ I told her I would come and find her. I turned to Atul, who heard the conversation between Apis and Marcus as well. _

_ "They…are going…to let Unanimity…kill her." I said, between gasps. He looked at me._

_"It seems so. Taint much to be done." Atul sighed, filling a hypojet. "I am sorry, Chang." He said, sadly. "This will make you sleep for hours. Maybe help you forget." _

_I stared at the ceiling, seething with anger. I could not let this happen. I grabbed his arm, just as he was about to inject me. He looked at me, knitting his brows. I pulled myself up to sitting, grimacing with pain the whole way. _

_"What the hell are you doing Chang?" he said, helping lower my legs. He saw that trying to stop me would have been of little use. "I don't even know everything that is wrong with you yet!"_

_"A…battalion of union…may not …be able to…free her…but a lone officer…could…or die trying." I said, my eyes steely with determination. "I have…to go…save her." Atul knew that look and shook his head._

_"This is madness, Chang. You know it. At your best, it would be near impossible. You are injured." Atul tried to reason._

_"I know…you can fix…me… I am …her only chance." I panted. He threw his hands up._

_"I cannot be part of this." He said crossing his arms. "The general will not allow it."_

_"Then you are …pulling the trigger…and blowing up…. her brain…just the same… as Unanimity." I said, referring to the implement they used to kill fabricants. Atul glared at me. He paced feverishly for a few seconds._

_"Ok. I'll do it. But you are asking me to help you commit suicide!" he whispered angrily, moving around. He picked up the hypojet. _

_"No sedation…I have to…leave soon." I said. He sighed deeply, shaking his head in disapproval. _

_"Madness…" he said, through pursed lips. "This is going to hurt. I will try to be quick."_

_The next thirty minutes was excruciating. Everywhere Atul did his work, it was burning fire and searing pain sweeping though my skin, deep into bone and body. I broke into a sweat and felt faint many times but made him continue. After, I lay down quietly for a while to recover, and to let the repairs Atul made set properly. I closed my eyes. I tried to piece together the occurrences of last night. _

_I remembered being awoken shortly after falling asleep by Somni, her head on my chest. I was so surprised, I just stared at her for a moment. I had no idea what she was doing, but I remember that I was not upset she was there, so close._

_Then it all happened so fast. My messager vibrated with alarm, and I heard the sound of laser cutters on the door. I immediately pulled Somni into the other room and fired off the skywalk bridge. If we got over to the other, largely abandoned, building, we could escape. It deployed and I started over, trying to convince a terrified Somni to walk over it with me. As I expected, once she looked down, she couldn't go on. She leapt into my arms, holding me desperately close. I understood. _

_A second later I was shooting at the window. I had to throw her to the side and shoot at the first round of enforcers that appeared at the window. I heard her shrieking with fear. I put her behind me and took out the next wave of enforcers. I picked her up and tried to run across the rest of the way, but they were shooting at my feet. I put her down, hoping I would draw fire away from her…then I lost my balance and fell, the sound of her screaming my name lingering in my ears. My next memory was the hypojet._

_I opened my eyes after a brief sleep. The pain was much less, even in my head. I stood and moved around, nearly fully functional. I pulled on some clean clothes Atul had brought in. He stood at the door, arms crossed._

_"Well," Atul said. "What is the plan?"_

_"Honestly, I am still working on it. But thank you, Atul." I said. "I just went back to my place in Old Seoul, if anyone asks, alright?" He sighed and shook his head. _

_"I hope she is worth it." He said. I grabbed the hypojet off the table. _

_"She is." I said, before I took leave of him._

_I walked out of Union command, trying to let as few people as possible see me. I really had no plan other than getting in, and somehow getting close to her. I would have to make it up as I went along. _


	7. Chapter 7 Promise

_I actually did go back to my place, briefly, and grabbed the ID that identified me as a janitor at Ministry, and changed into the uniform of one of the many aliases I had developed. That would be a good first step. _

_I was able to enter the service entrance of ministry easily; pleasantly surprised that the ID still worked. I slouched and started a shuffling walk, mirroring the actions of all those who I made contact with. I went to the physical plant where the maintenance people were and got a cart. An angry worker came at me complaining that it was his shift. I took him around the corner and hit him with the hypojet, depositing him into a closet. I went to the laundry room and acquired the uniform of an enforcer. The helmet, weapons and gloves were stored in a locker room, in the enforcer's area. I would have to figure out how to get those later. _

_I took my cart and went to the enforcer's section. A chief enforcer, marked by a red swath of color over his shoulder, walked by, pushing me out of the way. They hated everyone, it seemed. They would not even look twice at a janitor. I started the cleaning rounds, in the room next to them, doing what the automatic sweepers could not do. Two chief enforcers were discussing assignments. _

_"Oh yeah, and don't forget, you need two more men on level twelve lockdown. They want extra detail on this one. She just looks like a stupid fabricant to me, cowering in the corner. I think it is a waste. But that's what they want." The first one said._

_"Well, we'll give them what they want. But we have fewer men on the night shift. I just have to figure where to pull the men from. Probably the truck depot." I heard a familiar voice say…Marcus! I walked past them, doing my work as they signed out. The first enforcer turned around to leave and nearly banged into me. He managed to knock down my cart. _

_"Out of my way, sub…" he growled as I jabbered my apologies in a strong subspeak accent. Marcus looked on as the first chief enforcer left in a huff. Marcus shook his head and picked up something that fell, handing it to me. I went for it, but paused for a second, and looked him in the eye, then grabbed it and looked away. His expression told me that he recognized me. We could not talk in the enforcer command center. I packed up the cart and headed down a deserted dark hall, turned a corner and waited, crouching behind the cart. _

_Minutes later, I heard swift heavy footsteps coming my way. Marcus looked into the dark hall and saw the cart. He advanced slowly. I stood up as he got closer to me. _

_"What the hell are you doing here, Chang?" he whispered, looking around. "Last time I saw you, you looked like crap…"_

_"Atul can work miracles." I said, looking at him intently. "I am here to keep a promise." He shook his head._

_"What do you think you can accomplish?" he said, "Mephi will be here soon. The fabicant's fate will be determined then." He said. _

_"I need you to make me the next guard at her door. I will take care of the rest." I whispered. "And keep your men out of the truck depot." I added. Marcus moved back. _

_"I can do that" he whispered, "but you will fail." He stated, crossing his arms. He stared at me. _

_"Make sure you stay out of my way, Marcus." I warned, objective in my eyes. I put my hand on the enforcer's uniform I had absconded. He shook his head._

_"Get into uniform before the next shift is in." He muttered. "Use locker 23."_

_Within the hour, I was in full enforcer regalia. I joined a group of enforcers and soon I was marching through the halls of cell block 12. I was switched in to the new guard detail in front of Somni's cell, just as Marcus said he would. I was able to see her by looking to my side just a little. There she was, crouched on the ground, in the corner looking forlorn. She did not look injured, just scared. _

_Shortly thereafter, Boardman Mephi's group came walking down the hall. I opened the door to let him in. Somni stood up, initially shaking with fear, but staying quiet and still. She avoided his gaze. I looked over Mephi's shoulder as he approached Somni, patronizing words dripping from his lips. _

_"There is much disagreement about what is to be done with you. The Corpocrats want you euthanized as a deviant, the manufacturers want a period of study, the cytogenomicists are screaming for an immediate cerebral vivisection. However, the problem you create is a political one. Which means you are my problem." He moved closer to her. I could barely hear him. " I find it intriguing to imagine that beneath these perfectly engineered features are thoughts that terrify the whole of Unanimity..."_

_ Somni was petrified and stared forward and down, even as his grimy hands moved her face around. He leaned in close to her and whispered near her ear. I could not hear what he was saying. I had to hold myself back from making a sound, resist wanting to pry him away from her. _

_ A second or two later, Somni's eyes rose to meet his. She stared, icy cold into his eyes, unblinking. I was suddenly in awe. There was a dangerous, quiet power in those eyes. What did he say to her?_

_As he turned to leave I got a glimpse of his face; he was visibly disturbed. He seemed to make up his mind. _

_"Inform the Archivist. Prepare her for excisment." He ordered, and turned away to leave. He was scowling as Somni interrupted his exit._

_"Sir…" she said, her voice clear, not a hint of fear. He stopped and looked back, taken by surprise. "Can you tell me what happened to Hae Joo Chang?" She questioned. I could not believe my ears. The amount of courage, the audacity it took to ask that. I was proud, even though it was probably the worst thing she could have done for me. _

_"Killed…I was told." Mephi said, flippantly, angry at himself for gracing her question with a response. Little did he know._

_He left her cell and I slammed the door shut, locking the bolt. I stood in such a way that I could see her but hear him. His guard surrounded him. _

_Somni backed up against the wall, a lost, shocked look on her face. She seemed as if she could not breathe. Somni slid down to the ground, her head hanging forward. My heart ached to see her like that._

_"But Sir…" an enforcer whispered. "We do not know who that is." Mephi responded angrily. _

_ "You idiot. Her perception of his death is more important than if he is dead or not. That is the point. It will crush her spirit." I heard him say in a forced whisper. "Find out where this Hae Joo Chang is and MAKE him dead." He growled._

_"Yes sir." They responded._

_I heard his footsteps leaving as I watched Somni slide into despair, unable to do anything to inform her that I was alive, here, waiting for the right time to free her. She rubbed at the middle of her chest hard with her hand, as if to stop it from aching. I could see it; her heart breaking. Tears started to flow from her eyes as she looked at the door, where I stood. She buried her head on her knees, gripping them tightly and started to sob quietly, her body shaking, soft whimpers escaping as she rocked back and forth. It was painful to witness her in such intense grief. I looked in on her later. She had fallen into a fitful sleep. How did it feel to be one condemned, so utterly helpless? I had spent most of my adult life making sure that would not happen to me, or anyone else. _

_Sometime later again, two enforcers walked our way. _

_"We are to take her to the Archivist. " The one in command said. He handed me the cuffs. I opened the door and placed them on her. She would not look up. She was downhearted and quiet. Her eyes were swollen from tears, hollow remnants of the eyes that looked at me so full of hope, less than a day ago. _

_We walked down the quiet halls, the only sounds the footfalls of our boots echoing down the corridors. It was late at night; there were probably few people in the Ministry. I waited until we turned a corner and went halfway down a long corridor. There was the stairwell…it was time. _

_Swiftly, I shot the enforcer next to me, then in front of me while in mid stride. The third enforcer spun around when he realized what had happened and lifted his phaser. By the time he took aim at me through Somni's head, I grabbed her and spun around to engage him. His shot missed. He managed to grab me and nearly wrench my recently injured shoulder out of the socket. I growled in pain; he pinned me against the wall…his phaser was right next to my head. I moved it aside a little; I knew the walls here were resistant to phasers so any shot would ricochet once. I struggled to get just the right angle; I squeezed his trigger. The blast pushed him back, I whipped around and my next shot sent him flying back against the wall. I stood and looked at Somni. She was staring at me in shock, but did not run. I hit the release button on her cuffs and they clattered to the floor. Then I took off my helmet._

_Somni's eyes grew wide with a look of awe and happiness filled her face. She ran to me and threw her arms around my neck. I wrapped my arm around her, held her close, desperately. How good she felt. I felt her hands grab my shirt tightly, and heard her start to cry in my ear. _

_"I'll never let you go again." I whispered, solemnly. I continued to hang on to her for as long as I dared; which was just another minute. There were tears in her eyes when I let her go but the most wonderful smile on her face. _

_"How did you…?" she started._

_"I'll explain later. Now, we have to go." I whispered. She nodded rapidly and wiped her eyes. I grabbed her hand tightly and we ran down the stairwell. _

_We found our way to the truck depot largely deserted. It would be only a matter of time before the enforcers up on level 12 would be missed. In the truck depot, we tiptoed around, and I saw my next target. A truck driver was getting into a truck, just ahead. I jumped him from behind, shooting him with the hypojet, grabbing him with a choke hold for good measure. Once he went limp in my arms, I dragged him out of the cab and deposited him behind some boxes, after relieving him of his uniform jacket. Somni was wide eyed._

_"Is he dead?"_

_"No, just sleeping for a while." I said, pulling off my enforcer jacket and putting on his. I grabbed her hand and pulled her along into the cab of the truck. I tucked her in, just behind me, out of sight. We neared the exit gate, and it opened. I proceeded out slowly so as not to draw alarm. I was hopeful that we were home free but that was not to be. _

_Several blocks away from the Ministry, I was surrounded by several enforcers. My heart sank. I smiled and waved inanely at the enforcers who were commanding me to land, giving every indication that I was going to comply. _

_"What are we going to do?" Somni said, her voice shaking. _

_"Stay calm, Stay calm." I said in a low voice to Somni, as the truck was shepherded to a nearby rooftop. _

"Oh no…" Meronym groaned when she turned the page; the next page had a water stain that smudged all the words together. She tried in vain to read but most of the words on that page were illegible. She sat up, panicked.

"Please please please, no..." She said, turning another page and finding this one only a little more legible. "Oh , I can't read it! …wait a minute…" She was able to continue, but the smudging made it difficult for a while. "OK, OK. They got out of the truck…he shot them…both? All? I can't tell…" Meronym nearly had a fit.

Duophysite and a nurse showed up at the door, in a hurry and Meronym raised her head, and looked at them.

"Are you alright?" he asked, worried.

"I'm fine…why?" Meronym said. Duophysite approached her and started checking her vitals on the machine by her bed. The nurse slid a probe over her head, over her body

"Normal." She said. Duophysite nodded and the nurse left.

"Can you tell me what is going on?" Meronym asked. Duophysite looked back at her.

"Your vitals started going a little crazy a few minutes ago. They alerted me, so I came. But you seem alright." He said. Meronym realized…

"Oh. I was just reading this little book, I got to a really exciting part and …" she tried to explain, feeling embarrassed. "I got a little upset, that's all. I'm sorry I got you worried."

"What?" Duophysite said, incredulous. Meronym showed him the old journal. Duophysite's eyebrows rose and he crossed his arms. "What is that?"

"It is an artifact from an excavation." She opened it to the pages that were water stained. "This is why I got upset." Duophysite shook his head, and groaned.

"I knew I could not get you away from work. You should try to get some sleep anyway." He said, noticing the necklace around her neck. "And what is that?" Meronym looked down at it.

"This is a present from the little Valleyman girl, Catkin. It is supposed to make me well again. It is just their custom." She explained, fingering one of the shells.

"Hmm. Meronym, I should take those and analyze them; just to make sure you won't come in contact with anything that would harm you." He nodded, pointing to the talisman around her neck, and the book. "Never know what these things could be harboring." Meronym tucked the little doll under her pillow, out of his sight.

"Alright." She said, handing him the necklace. He took it, and held his hand out for the book.

"This is not leaving my sight." She warned. He knit his brows.

"Ok. I will do what I can here." He said, with a smirk. She released it, and let him scan it with his hand held machine. He handed it back to her, and she put it on her lap.

"What is so important about that book?" he asked. She looked down at it and thought for a second.

"It is a very important archeological find. But more than that, it is the journal of a young man written before he died in a war. I am learning so much about him and his world, that I feel I know him. In here are his actions, his thoughts and his hopes. All that is left of what made him real, human." She confessed. "I feel like I am holding his life in my hands." She said, stroking the cover. Duophysite nodded.

"I can understand that. In a way he does live again, in your mind and in the minds of all that get to know his story." Duophysite said. Meronym smiled and nodded. He sat on the edge of her bed and looked a little awkward.

"What is, Duo?" Meronym asked. He sighed and crossed his arms.

"I don't know if it is my place but…what is going on between you and the Valleyman?" he questioned.

"You are right. It is not your place, but since we are friends... Nothing is happening, really." She said, defensively. He sighed, and appeared relieved.

"It doesn't seem that way. At least not to him. Or me." He commented. "If there is 'nothing' from your end, you should set things straight right soon." He suggested. Meronym felt a little strange; that was the case for her and Duophysite, not Zachry.

"What would be the problem if something did develop between me and Zachry?" she questioned. Duophysite leaned back and smirked.

"It is just that... He is well, from a less advanced society; you are an intelligent, beautiful woman… Expectations can be very different…" Duophysite stammered. Meronym looked at him blankly. Meronym looked down at the book. She thought about the love story unfolding in the journal, and the lengths that Hae Joo was going through for Somni, even though their worlds were so different.

"Duly noted." She leaned forward. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself in that arena." She said, smiling. "But, thank you for your concern, Duo." She said. "I will take it to heart." He nodded, not seeming entirely comfortable with the outcome.

"Ok, then. And please, Meronym. It is late, and you definitely need your sleep to get better." He noted.

"Just a few minutes longer…please. I must finish this section." She said.

"Alright. But that is an order…" he said. She smirked. She hated when he pulled rank.

He left the room and she returned to the little book, examining the blurred words more closely. She realized had missed a little bit of the action, but it was obvious Hae Joo was putting up quite a fight against being caught. The suspense was killing her. Finally, the words became more readable again.

_The IME found its mark and I heard the pilot screaming. The Enforcer Falcon exploded before me, a bright orange ball spreading like fireworks, much to close and much too hot. I stood up slowly. Only Somni and I were left standing on the roof._

_I didn't believe it. I had gotten us out of this mess at least so far. And they said I could not do it. I looked back at Somni, with a look of satisfaction. She was observing me with a combination of awe and fear. She was very confused, taking in all that happened. She didn't seem to believe what she had seen._

_"Who ARE you?" she questioned, incredulous. It was time for me to come clean._

_"I am Commander Hae Joo Chang. First Science Officer of the Union Rebellion." I replied, in the tone she had gotten used to in the apartment. I was still panting with exertion. This moment was so important. I was who she had known before, but also a lot more than that. Would she accept me now that I was someone different from the gentle man she knew in the safe house? Or was I just too frightening? _

_"Why are you doing this?" She asked, eyes still wide with disbelief. How could I sum it up?_

_"Because I believe you have the power to change this world." I said, vehemently. She was completely astounded. As much as I wanted to have an extended discussion at that moment, we had to actually survive this jailbreak. "But now, we must get to safety." I said. _

_I jumped on one of the enforcer's cruisers, and looking back at Somni, I motioned with my head for her to join me. She moved quickly and sat behind me, I looked behind me, at her face._

_"Somni, please, hold on to me tightly. Whatever you do, DO NOT LET GO." I directed. She nodded, putting her arms securely around my waist, after I turned back around. _

_I spotted more cruisers coming our way so I took off. Somni's grip tightened. I figured my best bet was to head to Old Seoul. I tried to put some distance between me and the cruisers, using every ounce of training to get through the oncoming traffic. I had to maintain a serpentine trajectory so that their phaser shots would not get us. A Falcon rose up before me, and I thought we were cornered. An anger rose within me… NO. This is not going to happen. _

_I grabbed a phaser and started shooting at the cockpit, again and again. This distracted the pilot enough so that I could fly right by him. I dove down, down, down through lanes of traffic, and traveled at speeds I didn't think the cruiser could do. In these lower areas, the Falcons could not get close to us. I analyzed the path; our only way to Old Seoul was through the damway. But we could get trapped._

_"Excessive force confirmed." I heard, over my messager. They were now out for blood. A building exploded in a fireball just as we flew by it. Way too close with that type of firepower. We were in an open stretch, the damway opening ahead of us. I took the cruiser up to its limit. "We've got them." I heard over my messager. I knew Falcons would go to the other end, and be there waiting for us on exit. Once in the damway, I stopped over one of the escape hatches. This was our only way out. _

_"What are you doing?" Somni questioned. I sent another IME flying down the tunnel. She looked back at me in fear. I heard the device clank against the glass wall. I opened the hatch and ushered Somni into the underground tunnel; the explosion echoed through the tunnel and the rush of water became deafening. I jumped down the hatch, the water and enforcer cruisers roaring towards us…_

_I secured the hatch and dropped down in a heap._

The lights shut off. Meronym growled to herself. She shut the book, leaned back in bed and seethed in the dark. Now she was really mad at Duophysite.


	8. Chapter 8 Revelation

The moment Meronym awoke, in the early light of the morning that came in through the small window, she grabbed the journal and started to read again.

_We sat breathless in the dimly lit access tunnel to the damway. Somni stared at me. The rushing sound of the water filling the tunnel above us quieted down. The dim light of the tunnel made us both appear blue tinged. Somni looked stark and cold. That was way too close for comfort. It could have killed us both, but by the skin of our teeth, we were alive. Not yet safe, but alive. _

_"Are you alright?" I asked. She nodded._

_"I don't know what to think." Somni said, a myriad of expressions playing across her face. _

_"I am just relieved we are both alive. But we can't stay here." I said, standing, holding out my hand to help her in the dark tunnel. There was no time for thinking._

_"Where are we going?" she asked._

_"To my home." I said. "In Old Town."_

_She followed me silently to where the tunnel ended. I had her wait in the shadows until I found a stall with clothes. I was looking for anything that I could get quickly to replace the now stained white clothes she was wearing that would make her easily recognizable. She put the deep blue dress on behind me. I turned around when she was done. Still so beautiful, despite what we had been through. We walked on, through Old Seoul. _

_A fetid corridor of depravity and poverty, the market in Old town was on the last remaining continuous street that was still permanently above water in Old Seoul. It was filthy, damp and cold with everything and everyone for sale. We wove our way among the questionable inhabitants. Between the stalls that marketed wares, drugs, the hanging carcasses of rats, and stolen items from Neo Seoul were little galvanized shacks that people called home. The luckier ones, like me, had little apartments in the buildings above these shops, innumerous and hidden, and not as subject to the flooding that was frequent here. Musicians, instruments damaged and blighted, somehow managed to squeeze out a few soft strains as we walked through. Most people did not live in Old town by choice. _

_Some enforcers walked on by as I wrapped my body around Somni, so they could not see her. When they had passed, we moved on. Enforcers were not welcome or at home here. Enforcers are outnumbered here, and the place too easy to hide in for any serious search to take place. There was barely any rule of law in Old Town, Unanimity content to let this place fester and rot until it was flooded out by the rising waters. _

_"Stay close; fabricants get snatched here." I warned. Somni looked up at me with dread, and then huddled closer to my side. I had to pull her along when she noticed the other Somni in the brothel. _

_"This is where you live?" She said, with shock. _

_"This is where Union was born." I replied. Somni was stunned to see so many others barely surviving, to know how I had been living. _

_As we drew closer to my apartment, at the bottom of some stairs, a figure came out of the shadows. I moved Somni behind me and stood defensively. The hood came down; it was Atul. _

_"Thank god you live." he said, his wide grin showing for a moment. I groaned a sigh of relief. He nodded in greeting at Somni, who was hiding behind me. "I am shocked you made it, Chang. Are you ok?" he asked._

_"We are fine, somehow." I said. He nodded again. _

_"Marcus told us what happened. He had to defect because they were becoming suspicious of him. He is in hiding now, in command." Atul said. I groaned in disappointment. We did not need that to happen; Marcus was one of our best assets. _

_"I'm sorry it came to that." I said, shaking my head. _

_"What is done is done. But, General Apis wants to see you. He is a little upset," Atul warned, "but he will be happy to know this outcome." He said, looking back at Sonmi._

_"Of course. I will go to see him when we are ready." I said, turning to look at Somni, I put my hand on her shoulder, and then looked back at him. "Not a moment earlier." He nodded, and seemed to understand. Somni looked at Atul, pulling closer to me._

_"I will tell him. Both of you, please stay safe." He said, putting his hood back up and disappearing into the night. I sighed. This rescue was quite costly. But to me, it was worth it. I am not sure if others shared my opinion._

_We entered my little apartment and I leaned down to take off my jacket and boots. I dropped down on a chair in the middle room. Somni looked all around, a curious expression on her face. _

_"This is my real home, Somni. There is not much to it, but you are welcome and safe. Enforcers do not bother to break down doors here." I said. She leaned against the wall. _

_"If this is your home, where were we before?" she asked._

_"A Union safehouse in Neo Seoul." I replied. _

_I then saw her breakdown. I was right not to have pushed her too hard before. She shook her head and started to breathe fast. She slid down the wall and gripped her legs tightly in a ball. Recent occurrences would be difficult for anyone to tolerate and process. They must be especially difficult for someone so inexperienced in life. I moved to sit closer; wanting to comfort her._

_"You risked your life for me." she started. "I was overjoyed to see you again, I did not question how or why." She looked disturbed, shaking her head. _

_"Somni," I said, growing more confused, drawing closer to her, trying to put her at ease. _

_"You are Commander…of union?" she asked, appearing apprehensive. I sat back on my heels and looked at her face. Something specific about that fact was bothering her. _

_"What do you know about Union?" I queried. She looked up at me with wide eyes. Ah, so that was it. She started to talk with difficulty._

_"I overheard, at Papa Song, that 'Union' were terrorists who wanted to destroy the city. Hoodlums who steal from good people, hurt people, kill people. Seer Rhee told us that they kidnap and torture fabricants. We were told if we overheard someone say they were Union to tell the Enforcers." I stood still, listening to the lies in shock for a moment._

_"I see…" I said, softly. She followed me with her eyes as I sat down slowly in front of her. "Somni, what do you think?"_

_"I don't know…" She said in a low whisper. I sighed and locked my hands around my knees._

_"Please, let everything I have done since you met me speak for me." I said, looking sincerely into her eyes. "Listen to what your heart tells you about me." She seemed to want to cry. "Do you think I kidnapped you, just to torture and kill you?" I asked. _

_"No! Of course not…" she said, nearly crying. I was who she knew and trusted; now I had to change her mind quickly about Union. _

_"Do you think me or my friend out there just want to just destroy the city?" I continued._

_"No." She said, a little more assured._

_"Do you think anything I would be associated with would be composed of thieves and murderers?" she searched my face._

_"No." she said, now seeming only a little unsettled. "They told us lies." She said, as the doubt and worry drained away from her face. _

_"Yes." I said. I leaned forward to get up but she threw her arms around my shoulders again, holding me close. I breathed a sigh of relief._

_"I'm sorry, Hae Joo." She whispered in my ear. I wrapped my arms around her tightly. _

_"I will try to keep you safe as long as I can." I said softly. She buried her face into my shoulder. _

_I moved around to put my back against the wall as well, my arms around her, as she pulled herself into a ball in my arms, trembling. We sat there, silent, wrapped in each other's presence. I felt her breathing slow down, become even. She had fallen asleep. She was exhausted. I picked her up slowly and laid her down gently in my bed. Just then, I realized my exhaustion and went to lie down in the living area. _

_The next morning I woke up feeling especially stiff; yesterday's occurrences played through my head like a vidi. I got up and went looking for Somni, who I found sitting on the windowsill facing the square. She was listening to a musician playing an erhu on the corner. I stood beside her. _

_"He keeps playing the same song over and over. It is hauntingly beautiful, yet sad." She said slowly. "Here I see the other side of freedom, where life is tenuous and survival difficult." I nodded. _

_"For most here, it is that way." I agreed, looking out on the poverty I was so familiar with. My eyes lowered to her hands. She had in them a small, square, pink box with a lens on it. She saw me look at it._

_"What is this?" she asked. I took it from her. It was an instant camera printer; it pushed out small photos from one end. _

_"It takes pictures. I found it in an antiques stall and was able to fix it. There are only a few more pictures left. Let me show you." I said, raising it to my eyes. "Smile." I said, looking through a small square in the upper corner. She looked puzzled and then, shyly that sweet little smile came to her lips. She watched me with her soft warm eyes. My heart skipped a beat for a second, and then I remembered the camera. I snapped the button and a whirring sound emanated from the little contraption. We both waited impatiently. The little picture squeezed out the end. _

_"Got it." I said, mainly to myself. I had managed to capture that gentle smile. "You look beautiful." I said. She looked away, not knowing how to take the complement. She took the camera from me._

_"May I?" She asked. I turned to walk away. _

_"No, that's alright" I said, "I am not one for pictures." I continued, giving excuses. She gave me a disappointed look. I sighed and agreed. _

_"Smile…" she said, just like I did. I tried to be serious. She clicked the button. "You did not smile." She said, waiting for the picture to come out. When it did, she smiled. I had that ridiculous expression on my face again. "Only your eyes smile." She remarked, touching it gently. She walked away, to stand next to the window again. While looking at my picture, she asked a question. _

_"Hae Joo, Why did you take me from Papa Song?" She turned to me, a serious expression on her pretty face. _

_ I collected the little pictures and placed them on a shelf. I sighed, then motioned for her move into the middle room. _

_"Come. I prefer not to speak of this near windows." I sat down in the middle of the room, as she walked around me, examining my trinkets, collected things that I kept to make this shack feel more like a home. _

_"Union is made up of like-minded individuals; scientists, teachers, workers, soldiers. Union's ultimate goal is to try to change this society. We believe it has become corrupt, unfair, and inhumane. Freedoms are being lost at an alarming rate. The gulf between the poor and the rich is ever-widening. As you may have surmised, Union is trying to disrupt Unanimity's rule in New Seoul. We are particularly unhappy about the way people, fabricants are being treated. To that end, we were trying to aid in the development of a free willed fabricant, which has been…difficult." She turned and looked at me._

_"Yoona was free-willed." _

_"Yes, but, as you see, she failed." I replied. Somni continued around the room. "You, Somni, are our last hope." I said. She turned to face me, her brows knit. _

_"Why me?" she asked. "And what does Union want with a free willed fabricant?" That was the question I was waiting for. _

_"I think the best person to explain that to you will be General Apis. Do you feel up to meeting him?" I asked. She crinkled her forehead in thought. _

_"Yes. I think I should." She walked by me; I could sense she was a bit tense._

_"What is it Somni?" I queried. "We don't have to go now if you'd rather not." I started. She shook her head. _

_"It is just that…" She started, head hanging down "I know now it was only for Union…" I turned her around slowly, lifting up her chin until her eyes met mine._

_"Yes, I found you because of a Union mission." I said, then I sighed. "But I will tell you the truth. I rescued you from Ministry because I could not tolerate losing you." I said, surprising myself with how much I was revealing. I suddenly felt self-conscious. Somni stood in front of me, eyes wide in wonder. Our eyes locked and I felt that funny feeling in my chest again. _

_"We should go now. If you are willing." I said quietly. She nodded. _

"Hello, Meronym." She heard. She looked up over her book. Duophysite was standing by the door.

"Duo. I was not real happy last night about the lights…" she said, and then stopped. He walked up closer to her and handed her back the necklace from Catkin. He had a worried expression on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked, a sinking sensation coming over her. He sat down on the chair next to the bed. He sighed.

"Well, I am afraid the news is not so good. Your radiation dose was quite high; your body is not responding as fast as I would like." He said. Meronym sunk back in the bed. "We have given you all the medicine we can, but the damage done to your DNA is great."

"Well what can I do now?" She asked quietly.

"For one, you have to stay here, in isolation, mainly to protect you." He said. Meronym groaned, feeling trapped.

"What about the tests you are running on Zachry?" she asked, hopefully.

"Oh yes. There is nothing special about his metabolism, but we have isolated a trace compound that may be the reason he is so radiation resistant. It is concentrated in his bone marrow, in the nuclei of the stem cells. It is remarkable… It is an incredible anti-oxidant and free radical scavenger…" her started, looking at her, "we think it may have something to do with DNA repair. But it is so complex we are having a difficult time duplicating it." He looked down. "Don't want to give you false hope."

"Is it something their bodies manufacture? Like a hormone?" she asked, trying to ignore his last statement.

"No, no. The Valleymen are the same hormonally and every other way we have tested as you and I. No, this compound was produced extrinsically."

"Then it must come from their environment." She said.

"True. But that is way back at Big Island. I am sorry Meronym." He said.

"I think we should talk to Zachry about this. Maybe he can give us some insight." she suggested. Duophysite shrugged and sighed.

"Sure. Whatever you think is best. Let me know when he comes by. " he said, walking to the door slowly.

Meronym pulled her legs into her chest and sighed. She felt scared and helpless. Now she hoped was that the risks she had taken would pay off, and she would be be there to see it.


	9. Chapter 9 Command

Meronym laid in bed quietly, not even wanting to read the journal. She drifted in and out of fitful sleep. Maybe it was because of Duophysite's news, but she was beginning to feel quite weak. A gentle knock on the door woke her.

"Hello." She heard the familiar gruff voice say. She opened her eyes to see Zachry at the door. She smiled. He walked in and looked around, and closed the door. He pulled a small box from his cloak. Meronym sat up, curious.

"What you hidin' there?" she asked. He smiled. She looked at his face; he had taken off his eye patch; the bright pink of his healing scar meandered across his eyebrow and cheek. He opened the box and she recognized it immediately; the smell of freshly cooked fish. It brought back fond memories of the Valleyman village. "How you get that?" she said, taking the fork he offered, and picking up a piece, putting it in her mouth. "Mmmm. So good." She said, the taste instantly transporting her back to simpler times.

"Some prescient men wondering about me making hooks on the deck out back. I bending short, hard wires I find layin bout before the storm. They find me some fine line and I show them how to pull food from the ocean. " Zachry said, beaming. "We go down to the foot of this beast. Down where the water close to touch. When we slow, we able to throw out line and this unfortunate fish found it self on board." He smiled.

"How did you cook it?" she asked, confused. She knew most of their food was manufactured by a machine, shaped and formed into the perfect nutritional source, the raw materials of different sources of protein, fiber, carbs and fat put together to make 'food'. After spending time with the Valleymen the food from the boat seemed tasteless.

"One of the older men. Said he remembered how to do it. I cleaned it, but he made it ready. " Zachry said.

"Tasting homestyle, I reckon." Meronym smiled, but then withdrew when she remembered her problem. "Thank you muchly Zachry, but belly not feelin' much for anything." She sighed, handing back the rest of the fish and lying on her side, looking at Zachry. He covered the food.

"Maybe later you feel more like suppin'" he said, putting it down. He then looked at her with concern.

"And how you?" he said, softly, leaning forward to stoke her arm. "Lookin' muchly worried." She took hold of his hand and stared into his eyes.

"I scaresome Zachry. Real scaresome." She said softly. He leaned in, closer to her.

"Why?" he asked.

"Medicine not work fast enough for medicine man likin'. Sayin I not getting better…" she said, her voice straining and a lump growing in her throat. She covered her eyes, unable to look at his worried expression anymore. She felt him come close and wrap his arms around her. She let the tears push out and allowed him to comfort her for a few minutes. In silence he held her, stroking her head as she snuggled up against his chest.

"I aint no medicine man, but I recon this fight not yet lost. Maybe just taken longer timewise. Gotta stay stong, Meronym." He said softly, his low, rough voice vibrating through his chest "cog was wise prescient once said 'hope is but a flea…'" Meronym laughed, and wiped her eyes, sitting back in the bed.

"And fleas are tough to rid." She said. He smirked at her.

Duophysite walked into the room and sniffed.

"Hello Zachry, they told me you were here…what is that smell?" he said, his lips curling.

"Fresh fish from ocean blue…like to try some?" Zachry said, a little evil sparkle in his eye, pushing the aromatic dish under Duophysite's nose. He backed up.

"Thank you, I'll have to pass." He said. He looked questioningly at Meronym, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Suit yourself." Zachry said, taking a forkful.

"Anyway, I think we have a breakthrough." Duophysite said, then he turned to Zachry.

"Can I just ask, when you're done chewing, of course, to see were we took your skin biopsy from?" Duophysite asked. Zachry nodded, taking off his cloak.

"Taken from back here." Zachry said, turning around, pointing over his shoulder. Duophysite took off the bandage after Zachry lifted his shirt.

"I thought so…" he said to himself, smiling. Duophysite turned to Meronym. "Did you talk to him yet about the compound?"

"No, not yet." She said. She looked at the biopsy site; a hole healing well in his mid back.

"Don't you see? We took a sample right across the tattoo marks he has all over." Duophysite said. "These marks have a high concentration of the compound." Zachry pulled down his shirt. Meronym looked at Zachry.

"This 'compound' importantlike?" Zachry asked, his eyebrows knit.

"Tell us about the markings." She said, excitedly. Zachry looked confused.

"Valleymen do marking during feasts. And certain times of life, like weddings and when a child born to your kin. More years you have, more you marked."

"But what do you use for the markings?" Duophysite asked hurriedly.

"Needle off a cactus and juice of Rumna berry. Only find them on the south side of Mount Essau. Treacherous climb to get to the bushes. Even goats don't dare go."

"That makes perfect sense! The compound is a pigment." Duophysite said, walking around. "And that mountain has high levels of radiation." He looked at Meronym. "The plant must have produced this compound to keep its own DNA safe against the radiation." He looked back at Zachry. "In tattoos, they would be absorbed in higher levels when placed, then very slowly, over time."

"So these berries could make me better." Meronym said. Zachry thought and nodded, solemnly.

"I have Rumna berries. Worth more than shiny metal coin to Valleymen. But they greatwise powerful. To much, like a poison be."

"Poison samewise medicine be." Meronym said.

Zachry gave a few of his precious berries to Duophysite, who analysed one and found that they did have high concentrations of the compound they were looking for, as well as many others. With some questioning, Meronym found out that the Valleymen did get what Duophysite believed was radiation sickness. They called it the Retchin: those afflicted became weak and pale, and they had bloody vomit and diarrhea. When it got that bad, small pieces of the berries were given by mouth daily, until the person got better or died. This treatment was usually given by the Abbess. Only half the people treated at that stage survived. Zachry described how the pigment for the tribal tattoos was made; Duophysite tried to copy the steps, but it was taking longer than they had, and Meronym's lab values were worsening by the day.

With Duophysite monitoring closely, Zachry gave Meronym a small piece of berry each day, and performed the other aspects of the ritual of healing, the marking, the singing and the incense. Duophysite was willing to let Zachry try anything. During the treatment, Zachry rarely left her side, meditating and praying.

Unfortunate side effects of the Rumna were horrible hallucinations and nausea. It was a bitter, acrid taste that made her retch and grimace. For days, Meronym floated in and out of a fog, induced either by the berries or the medicine used to treat the side effects. Once her lab values were on the rise, the treatment stopped. Meronym was improving, finally. A prescient saved by native medicine. Once she found some time alone, when the hallucinations and nausea ceased, she returned to read the journal. She smiled as she gazed again on Hae Joo's familiar script…

_We left the apartment and walked back through the market. There were no enforcers to be seen anywhere. I purchased a bit of sweet bread and small cup of bitter tea to share with Somni in one of the less filthy stalls. As Somni and I walked, we again passed the brothel with the Somni fabricant in the window. The two women looked at each other in recognition, but did not speak. We moved on, but shortly, Somni pulled on my jacket. I turned to her and she leaned close to me. _

_"Is she with Union?" Somni whispered. I was surprised by the question but thankful for her candor. _

_"No." I said, turning to go on. Again the tug. _

_"Why is she there?" she said, her eyes looking back at her sister fabricant, "she does not seem happy." then she looked at me. I sighed. _

_"She probably is not. She is working at a brothel." I said. Please, please don't ask any more questions, I wished. _

_"What does she do there?" she continued, her face innocent. No such luck. I sighed again. I could just say that I don't know, but I had to be honest with her, even though discussing the topic with her made me uncomfortable. I did not know how much she knew about these things. _

_"Men pay to have sex with the women there." I said. We were now walking slowly. I looked over at her. She tilted her head, her brows knitting together. She looked back at the brothel, then back to me. _

_"Between purebloods and fabricants, sex is forbidden." She remarked, matter of factly. I nodded._

_"That is one of the catechisms." I said, with a smirk, leaving it at that. We walked on in silence, towards the edge of the city. She seemed deep in thought; she looked at me strangely. _

_"Do you go there?" she finally asked. I stopped short. _

"What?" Meronym squealed, dropping the book and covering her eyes. "I don't believe she just asked him that!" she said to herself. She shook her head. "Oh no, Somni…" She was shocked but her curiosity too great to stop reading… she was dying to see how Hae Joo handled this sticky topic. She took a few deep breaths and picked up the book again.

_"NO." I said, rather forcefully. Somni backed away. _

_I just stared at Somni for a few seconds. My initial surge of incredulousness melted away when I saw her become frightened. She pulled her coat close and started to shuffle back and forth nervously, holding her head down but looking at me with scared, wide eyes. I had to realize; she just didn't know. _

_"I am sorry… I ask too many questions…" she started, her voice shaking. I shook my head. She stopped talking. I sighed, walking up to her. I looked into her eyes._

_"It is I who should be sorry." I said, putting my hand on her shoulder and stroking it with my thumb. "It is just that I find brothels distasteful; to be asked if I…" I said, turning her away from the offending establishment and continuing our journey. "I should not have reacted that way." We walked on until we were in a largely deserted section of old town. "The women who are usually do not have a choice in what they do." I continued to explain. "I do not believe that is the way it should happen." I glanced at Somni, who was looking at me intensely with wide eyed curiosity. I smiled. "Please, keep asking me questions."_

_"How should 'it' happen?" she asked, quietly, looking towards the ground as we walked. I raised my brow. She always knew how to surprise me. We continued silently for a few moments while I thought. _

_"It should happen because both people want it to, not because they are paid or forced to." I said. "It should happen between people who care very much about each other, as a sign of deep affection." I continued. Funny enough, I felt no discomfort with this topic. She looked at me with a curious expression for a second or two._

_"In the books of your philosophers, is 'it' what they call 'love'?" She said, continuing her cadence, looking down. I smiled to myself. So, she learned about love as well. I could point out to her the difference between the emotion and the physical demonstration of that emotion, but decided against that; she had obviously gotten the point._

_"Yes." I replied. I felt a warmth rise over my face. We continued along, quietly in each other's presence. She seemed to grow sad. I was concerned, and did not understand why until she spoke again, just before we entered the abandoned subways._

_"I saw Seer Rhee with Yoona, together one night. I do not think she did it by choice. But I think she cared about him." She looked down. "A day later, he excised her." She whispered, a tremble in her voice. "That was not…affection" she surmised. _

_"True." I agreed. There was nothing more to really say. Then we went underground through the darkened passageways, down deep into the hidden corridors of Union. Upon entry into Union Command, we were stopped for a second to let Damyen and his entourage pass by via the lower exit. There was the notable exception of Marcus, I realized. Damyen looked at me, then at Somni, with hardly a change in his expression._

_As I walked by the men of Union, they looked at Somni, nodding, in quiet acknowledgement of who she was. We do not usually have women, much less fabricants, walking through Union command. I saw Atul, nodding at us both, on our way to see General Apis. Somni was looking around curiously, not really scared, but not entirely comfortable. _

_We arrived at the door to his office. His guards motioned her in. For once, I was not searched. Somni looked back to me for reassurance. I gave her a small smile and gently ushered her in ahead of me. Upon entry, the general greeted Somni warmly. _

_"I am General Apis, leader of Union. And you must be Somni 451…"_

_Apis talked with his usual poetic eloquence as he walked around in his usual elegant manner. He gave her his undivided attention. Apis was one who lead by inclusion, and ruled by respect. Somni was in awe, I could tell. I stood just behind and to the side of her, so she could see me when she looked around, as she did, frequently. I stood at a comfortable stance of attention, my hands clasped before me. He spoke of the plan in vagaries. _

_"Somni. I this world needs to know the truth about what is happening with our society. With your help, we will shout the truth, and we will be able to alter our reality. There is a fear that runs deep in Unanimity- the fear of losing control of the population, particularly those they believe they can control absolutely. They fear they will lose control of the fabricants. They are right to fear." He walked up closer to her. "You are proof that our efforts have not been in vain." _

_"But I am just a diner server. I was not genomed to alter reality." Somni said, a tremble in her voice. I sighed. This may just not be the right time for her yet…_

_"No revolutionary ever was." Apis countered, with a smile. He went on to discuss a few other details. All that time, I kept my eyes on Somni, and saw her breathing speed up, and her glances to me becoming more frequent, desperate. _

_"I am sorry. I cannot do as you ask." Somni finally said, looking scared and wide eyed. I sighed. I thought this may have been be too much too soon. Apis smirked and nodded his head. He kept his patience, strolling to the back of his room. _

_"It would be a difficult decision for anyone." He turned and looked at her again. "But before you call your decision final, there is one last thing I would like you to see, so you fully know what we are fighting for." He then looked at me intensely and nodded. It took me a second, but I slowly realized what he meant. _

_Oh no…He wanted her to see the fabricant ship of 'exultation'. I felt my jaw tighten and my lips press together. The thud of dread hit me in my chest. Somni looked at me, worry in her face when she saw my trepidation. I forced a small smile and held out my hand to direct her out. _

_"Commander Chang." I heard Apis say. "May I have a word with you?" He requested, in a pleasant tone. I nodded. I turned to see Atul standing at the door. I turned my attention to Somni. I held both her upper arms as she faced me with worry. _

_"Go with Atul. I will be with you soon." I said, gently. Atul smiled at her and led her out, his hand on her back. She looked back at me again. I turned around and stood before his desk, waiting for him to talk. He simply walked around me once. _

_"A man in my position must be seen as knowing what best to do at all times, Commander Chang. To that end, I must take into consideration all of the many aspects of the task at hand, and remain emotionally disconnected." He leaned on his desk. "But sometimes, with certain officers, I cannot." He turned to face me. "I am happy that Somni, and you, are alive and well. But you are either an exceedingly brave or exceedingly foolish man to do what you have done." I looked at him. He paused. He tilted his head and crossed his arms. "What were you trying to do?" I looked down._

_"I could not let her die like that. I had to at least try to save her."_

_"I think what you did was courageous but reckless. You were lucky, Chang, very lucky. The problem is that luck runs out." He warned. I looked up at his face. "I know your intentions were honorable, but we could have lost you, lost Somni, and gained nothing. That is not the kind of odds I like to play with in this game."_

_"There will be much loss in this game, General." I pointed out._

_"If you are referring to the plan, yes, there will be great loss. But there is enough to gain to permit that loss. It is a calculated risk." He looked at me with that fatherly glare. "I am just as proud of you as I am disappointed, Hae Joo." He approached me. "You are too important to Union to risk yourself like that again. Is that clear?" I nodded._

_"I understand, General." I agreed. "But with all due respect, I do not regret my actions." I said. _

_"I know." He said. "That gives me pause. I worry about your future decisions." I looked at him with my brows knitted._

_"You know my resolve, General. The Union mission is paramount to me. " I said. He nodded. He sat back in his desk and put his fingertips together._

_"I think Somni would be safer here." He said. I looked at him steely eyed. He knew I would put up a fight about this._

_"I think that would not be good for the mission. Or her." I said, and looked at him with resolve. "She will not do well here. I know it. I see it in her eyes now. If we want any chance of having her change her mind, to be involved in the plan…" He fully expected my reaction, I could see it._

_"She will change her mind when she sees the ship." He interjected._

_"Or she will run away or shut down completely…" I said, adamantly. I looked down and breathed, calming myself. A few seconds went by. "I just know that it will be devastating for her." I said, in a pained whisper. He stood up and walked up to me. I raised my eyes. He looked at me with conviction, his hand on my shoulder._

_"You know her best. You must be there for her then." He said, walking away. "Take care of her, on your own terms, Chang. In the location of your own choosing." I looked down and shook my head. What a jaded compromise, a devil's bargain. He would let me take her back home, but I would have to take her to see the ship. I really would rather fall off that skywalk a few more times; that would be less painful. But, I had to, needed to be there for her, to support her afterwards. There was no other way. _

_"When will the ship be in port?" I asked, in a low voice. _

_"Within the week." He said. I raised my head and sighed._

_"I will take her." I said. _

_"Good." He nodded. How well he calculated his moves. "There is one other thing I would like you to do." He continued, going into his desk. He pulled out a small book. "Commander Chang. I would like you to document your actions, and your thoughts, about this mission, retroactive from when it first began." He said, handing it to me, with a serious expression. "I find that writing it all down makes things… clearer." He walked back to his desk. I looked at the little journal, completely puzzled. _

_"Why?" I asked._

_"For posterity." He said, waving his hand._

_"Like the archivists?" I questioned. He just smiled. "When do you want it back?" I asked._

_"At the end of the mission." He leaned back in his chair, looking at me thoughtfully. _

_"Yes, General." I said quietly, as I leafed through the blank journal._


	10. Chapter 10 Demons

Meronym smirked and closed the little book. So, that is how Apis got Hae Joo to write this journal, she thought. It was late at night and Meronym got up and started to pack up the things she had collected during her unexpected confinement in the bag Zachry had brought. In went the cute little doll and her clothes, her toiletries. Duophysite had promised her that she could leave the infirmary tomorrow if her lab results from the morning continued to improve as expected. She had about enough of feeling like a lab rat.

Once packed, she lifted up her sleeve and looked at the new marking Zachry had placed on her arm, much like the markings found on the Valleysmen. She smiled, happy with the design, which was artistic and delicate. She was also thankful she was in the throes of hallucinations when he was doing it; she did not feel a thing. She slowly traced the concentric grouping of lines and circles, swirls from her shoulder to her elbow, mirror image from top to bottom, and back to front. It was just her luck that Zachry was well versed in the design and placement of these tattoos. She had agreed to it during the worst of her nausea. Duophysite told her a few days later that he could erase the marks if she wanted, but she would have to do it soon. She flatly refused.

First of all, she felt very thankful to Zachry for what he had done, to erase his handiwork would have been rude at the least, or deeply offensive at the worst. It actually made her feel that he had accepted her into his life, and she felt like she was a part of the now dwindling Valleymen clan now. It made her unique among her Prescient tribe.

Duophysite was enthralled with the compounds found in the Rumna berry; it proved to be the miracle drug that he was looking for. While Meronym was suffering from the radiation poisoning, the plague, held in check by her once normal immune system, was starting to threaten her life. That was what why he was so concerned. The Rumna berry seemed to also stop the growth of the organism that caused the plague within her, the same scourge that had so affected her people. If the repeat tests were as promising as the preliminaries, they would soon be quite busy isolating and mass producing the compound.

Without her falling ill and being treated by Zachry, they would not have found it. She thought it interesting that the Precients, with all the ancient smarts, would turn out to be saved by natural medicine, brought to them by the lone survivors of a goat herding clan.

They were now days from the Prescient homeland, and she was growing more excited with each day. She would have to work on arranging a place for her guests to stay. She smiled to herself. They could always stay with her…

A gentle knock came on the door. She turned around smiling; knowing it would only be one person at that hour. Zachry came in, a slightly rushed manner about him.

"Here latesome Zachry. Not that I be mindin' the company." She said. He smiled briefly and handed her a cloak to put over her shoulders.

"Meronym, there is something important we have to do. Come with me." Zachry said. Meronym looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"I not free to go till morningtime. Doc prescient said…" she started, then she noticed the seriousness in his eyes. "What is so important?"

"It is moonrise." Zachry said. Almost before she could refuse he threw the cloak over her shoulders and grabbed her hand. She acquiesced, allowing him to pull her quickly along the corridors after sneaking out of the infirmary. She knew that they would find out soon that she had left, but felt he needed her to go. They arrived at the side of the boat, on the open corridor deck. "Good, she just rising from the waves." He said, pointing out over the inky black sea.

"Moon full shining bright this night so clearsome." She said, leaning over to see the brilliant slow orb rising from a sea of small undulating waves. The glittering reflection was cast long over the water, scattering diamond sparkles far and wide. Zachry turned to her.

"It is time to rid yourself of your demons." He said. Meronym shook her head, confused. "The talisman…" he reminded "it must find the sea the next moonrise. Catkin sayso." She looked down at the shell and stone necklace on her neck. She held one of the shells, rubbing the smooth surface between her fingers.

"But…I like it." She explained.

"Do what you will, Meronym." Zachry sighed. He looked over the water then reached into his cloak and pulled out a simple leather necklace, strung on it was a button adorned with a brilliant irridescent stone. Meronym came in closer, to see it better. He looked at it, seeming to be rapt with emotion.

"Found this sparkly on a ledge like it put out for me alone back at Slosha's Falls. Adam and son givin homage a ways away, in the bottom of the valley, like they always do. We know Kona country close so I wait by the trail as watch." His face grew sullen. "I heard a voice, evil and beastly, come whisprin like a cold chill runnin through my bones. Old Georgie." He said, his voice a low growl. He looked over at her.

"Go on, Zachry." Meronym whispered. He breathed hard and nodded. His eyes glossed over.

"He taunted me, distractin me from my watch. Put a dread stone in my heart, feeling like running I did.  
A moment later, Kona come a visiting." He said, voice trembling. Meronym moved closer, put her hand on his arm. "Big rock in front of me so I hide behind it, under brush. They surround poor Adam, he tell his boy to run but it too late. I can hear him yelling for me to this day." It was becoming difficult for him to speak. Meronym put her hand on his arm, he was tight and tense.

"Tell me Zachry. Story come out." She urged softly, understanding the catharsis.

"Georgie freeze me, bid me stay hidden…save myself while the Kona kill my kin, he say." He said with his eyes wide. "The weak are meat and the strong do eat…he say" he whispered. Meronym felt a chill go down her spine. "I…still see the arrow through my nephew when he ran to help his pa…" he groaned, his eyes wide. "I can still hear Adam screamin till Kona blade cut him quick…" he closed his eyes and dropped his head, unable to continue. Meronym put her hands around his neck and pulled in close. She saw the tears squeeze from his eyes. "I too fearsome to help my kin…" She stayed silent as Zachry breathed hard, trying to control the tremors quaking his body. She felt his sadness, tears forming in her own eyes. She could only imagine how awful that was.

"Since then Old Georgie torture my soul. Constantlike, he tell me to kill you…" he whispered, after a moment. Meronym was paralyzed. Whatever this was, Zachry's inner demon, the devil, who knew, he was at war with it for some time. But also guilt and sadness; much to carry on those strong shoulders. "Now you know the poison in my heart, what kind of man before you be." He said.

Meronym backed away a little, and pulled off her talisman. Zachry watched as she leaned over the railing and threw the necklace. They looked on in silence as it disappeared from view and entered the dark waters.

"Time to get rid of them demons, Zachry." She said, looking at him with conviction. He took one last look at the little necklace, the shiny iridescent stone, then launched it overboard, using more effort than necessary to send it to the deep. They both watched the moon rise for a few moments. She looked back at him. He breathed deeply. "Takes brave man to face his demons." She said, stroking his hunched shoulder.

"On the souls of my fallen kin, I promise never let chance to help anyone in need pass me by. I swearby Somni…" He whispered, staring into the dark ocean. Meronym's communication device became active.

"Meronym, why are you not in the infirmiry?" Duophysite said, in a worried voice.

"I will be back soon. I just needed some fresh air." She answered back and then turned it off. She turned to Zachry again. "Got to go." She said. He turned his tired blue eyes to hers.

"Thank you, again." He said, seemingly drained.

"No, Zachry. Thank you." She smiled, and turned to go.

Once back in her room she curled up for the last time on the infirmary bed. She hoped she had helped Zachry but only time would tell. Unable to sleep, she sighed, and picked up the little journal again. Immediately following the last entry were several pages affixed, with a different script…

_Excerpt from Dr. Obode Atul_

_I spent a few short moments with Somni 451, but they were enough for me and the other officers to decide that we were justified in our decision to overthrow Unanimity. _

_I led Somni out of her first meeting with General Apis so that he may have a few words alone with Commander Chang. She came with me quietly; however she seemed anxious and worried. The door closed behind us and Somni continued to look back every few steps we took down the hall. _

_"What will happen to Hae Joo?" She asked me finally, in her strong subspeak accent._

_"He is receiving orders from the General. He will be just fine." I continued with a smile. "When I first met Chang, I thought he was too mild mannered to be a good soldier. I was quite wrong. He is one of our best." We walked on, Somni by my side. I went on. "From the first moment we met, I knew we would be friends. I saw it in his eyes. He is a good man." She looked up at me._

_"Do you believe as he does…about fabricants?" she asked in a soft voice. I nodded._

_"I don't know if you noticed, but General Apis and I, as well as some of the other men here are somewhat darker in skin color." She looked at me, eyes curious, and nodded. "Our ancestors are from faraway lands. Because of their color, they were called awful names, they were treated worse than animals. They were used as slaves to do work without rest or without compensation. Beaten and killed if they disobeyed. Our ancestral memories are strong." I stopped and turned to her. "And that allows us to see that the scourge of slavery has reared its ugly head yet again." She nodded slowly, wide eyed. "We cannot sit idly by and let it continue." I said._

_"I have learned many things from Hae Joo. About slavery… and freedom." She said, slowly, looking intently into my eyes. "I cannot return to my previous life." I could not help but to smile. Chang had quite an effect on her. _

_"I would like you to see a little more of what Union is all about." I said as we entered the largest area of the underground stronghold, full of people. _

_Somni stepped forward and took it in, her eyes widening with the sight of dozens of weapons lined up against the wall and on shelves, several men attending to them. We walked on slowly. Around an array of flat tables, others were working at large screens projected before them, monitoring the transmissions and communications of Unanimity. We walked past these men, to another room where a battalion of men were training in hand to hand combat. A man hit the floor before us. He scrambled up, and paused to look at her before resuming the sparring match. She backed up and held on to my arm. I urged her forward and into the Officers Meeting Room. _

_"Here is where the officers like Chang and I convene, make our plans. I would like for them to meet you." Here, several officers were making disagreeing loudly. When we entered all conversation ceased in a few moments, and everyone turned to look at her. _

_"Friends. This is Somni 451." They all greeted her to varying degrees. She blinked and looked around shyly._

_"There are so many of you…" she said, a tremble in her voice. She looked at me wide eyed. "Fabricants do not know about… any of this." She said turning to me._

_"We are a well-kept secret." I walked around her. _

_ "We were told…that Union was the enemy. That Union wants to kill fabricants." She said. At this statement, there were a number of responses and grumblings from the officers. I raised my hand for silence. _

_"Well. That explains our difficulty in recruitment." I said, walking behind her. _

_"What do you think of Union now? Do you think we are the enemy, like they told you?" A young officer asked. Somni raised her eyes and looked him intently._

_"No. Quite the opposite. You want us to be free." She said. "But that makes the enemy...Unanimity." She said. I nodded as she turned to face me again._

_"Somni, can you tell us what your life was like working in Papa Song?" I wanted to hear what it was like from the fabricant's perspective. She looked back down the hall. She sighed and swallowed._

_"We obey our seer's commands and live according to the catechisms." She shuffled back and forth slowly. "We work in the restaurant each day and sleep in sleep boxes in the back of Papa Song's at night. That is the extent of our life. Each day is like the previous." A low rumbling came from the crowd. _

_"Did you enjoy this…way of life?" an officer asked._

_ "Enjoyment was not the purpose. There was work to be done. We were genomed to do it." Somni said. _

_"So this is the fabricant." A voice said at the door. Marcus walked in; he still wore the uniform of a chief enforcer, without the helmet, however. Somni gave a gasp and backed up towards me._

_"You have nothing to fear from me, young lady..." Marcus raised his hands and stepped back. Somni looked at me, fear in her eyes. _

_"He is with us Somni. There is nothing to fear." She looked back at him meekly. He looked at her closely, then sat on one of the nearby tables and crossed his arms. I knew he would be interested in meeting the woman who made him leave the Ministry. _

_"Somni…" I said, trying to draw her attention away from Marcus. She turned to me. "You saw how other people lived at the restaurant. Didn't you want to be like them?" I asked pointedly, trying to change the subject. "To come and go, do as you pleased?"_

_"We were told we were not like the Purebloods who ate in the restaurant. They were our Consumers. We had to obey them also." She said. _

_"Did they treat you well?" Someone asked. Somni looked around. _

_"Some were civil. Some were rude." She looked down. "Some were cruel."_

_ "Couldn't you just leave?" I asked. I knew the answer, but I wanted everyone to hear it. She opened her eyes widely._

_"We are not allowed to leave Papa Song. If we disobeyed, we would be excised." She looked down. "Just like my friend, Yoona, was." She said soflty, looking sadly at the floor. "I never thought of another life, until..." said, looking up, distracted by all the eyes upon her._

_"Until what, Somni?" I said, drawing her attention. She focused on me._

_"One night I woke up from sleep cycle, and met Hae Joo Chang. He told me my life was in danger." She said to me. "And then gave me the choice… to stay or to leave." Then she looked around. "So I left with him."_

_"If you knew you would get into trouble, why did you leave?" Was the next question asked._

_"I trusted him." She looked down and sighed. "He was the first pureblood who was ever kind to me. It was the first time… someone cared what would happen to me." The low rumblings continued._

_"Are you glad you left?" Marcus asked. _

_"Yes." She answered, without hesitation. "It was the first time I felt… truly alive." She said, taking a deep breath. The room silenced. _

_"So, Somni, given what they told you about Union, why did you leave with a Union soldier?" _

_"I did not know he was Union." She looked over at the officer shyly. _

_ "With what you know now, will you join our cause?" I asked._

_"It is not in our nature to challenge authority or be in a revolution." She said, and then a strange look came over her face. "But we can learn." She said softly._

_"What do you think would have happened had you stayed?" Marcus asked. I was puzzled. I did not know where he was going with this._

_"They may have had me excised for knowing about Yoona. If not, then I would have continued to work at Papa Song until exultation." She said. Everyone grew quiet. They all stood still, staring at Somni. Marcus rubbed at his chin, in thought._

_"Exultation. Do you know what…" Marcus stopped, trying to find better words, "where…it is you would go?" The tension was thick. There was complete silence in the room. I looked at Somni, who was growing more wary by the moment. _

_"We will be taken there on a ship. We are told it is a just reward for our years of hard work and obedience." She said softly, a tremble in her voice. "That is all I know." Marcus nodded and looked down. All the men exchanged silent glances, Many looking down, shaking their heads. Somni noticed, looking around, confused at the response. I myself, was speechless. _

_"Somni." A clear voice broke the silence. Chang walked slowly into the room, looking around at everyone, a stern look on his face. Somni turned around and breathed a sigh of relief almost immediately at the sight of him, her body relaxing visibly. When Chang looked back at Somni, his face softened, and he gave her a small smile. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, his gentle tone comforting her, soothing her obviously frayed nerves. She nodded her head rapidly. _

_"Thank you for answering our questions, Somni." I said. She nodded and bowed her head, smiling meekly at me, looking briefly at everyone. As she turned to go, Chang's hand rested on her back. From my vantage point, I saw her look back up at him, eyes alight with pure adoration and trust as they walked out together. He returned a similar glance._

_We all stayed in place in silence as Somni and Chang walked away. Then I turned to the group and started walking slowly around them. _

_"Gentlemen. Any thoughts?" I asked, looking around. _

_"She seems very naïve." Said one officer. "But kind. And definitely human."_

_"Well of course she is naïve, that is what happens when you are forced to live your whole life in the back room of a restaurant." Another said._

_"They do not even know the fate that awaits them." One of the younger officers said, shaking his head sadly._

_"It is murder. Just awful." Another said, in disgust._

_"They will not be quite so compliant…once they learn the truth." I said. _

_ "She said they are willing to learn…they will have to."_

_"What do we teach them first? How to fight? Or how to just live in the outside world?"_

_"There is much work to be done with them. I think the challenge is for us to learn how to help them." I said as I walked up to Marcus._

_"What do you think? Are they worth it? Is she worth it?" I asked. He looked at me and nodded._

_"There is much at stake here. That is why we have the plan, involving the fabricant, right?" Marcus said. "Will she do it?" he asked._

_"She has not yet agreed." I started. That was met with some grumblings. Marcus shook his head. "Apis has a plan that may help her make up her mind." He looked at me._

_"Regardless…the citizens of Neo Seoul, the whole world needs to know about the murder of these innocents." he growled. Everyone vocalized agreement. He stood up, and looked around at the other officers. "We have a rebellion to stage." His words were greeted with a cheer._

_Our meeting with Somni 451 solidified our resolve, it reminded us who and what we were fighting for. Unanimity must not be allowed to exist unchecked. It is our duty as humans to help the fabricants gain freedom. _

Meronym put the book down a second and leaned her head back, sleep finally taking hold of her. She was in awe of the importance of the history she had unearthed. It was a treasure; to learn about the inner workings of Union. The place they found the books must have been this instillation, Union command, the one Chang and Atul spoke of, or someplace like it.

She sighed. Even though she was pleased that Unanimity was overthrown and the fabricants were freed, she wished that The Fall had not occurred in such a complete, catastrophic fashion. It happened just as the seas were rising quickly, rendering the ports vital to the earths economy non-operational, faster than new ones could be built. The earth's oil and gas resources were dwindling and countries were going to war, squabbling over the spoils. To add to that, it was as if mother Earth was angry at her wayward children; the intensity and frequency of catastrophic storms, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes and floods ravaged much of the civilized world to the point that the governments could not keep up with the destruction. It became the perfect storm. Much of the new technologies became lost and forgotten in many parts of the world in the chaotic aftermath.

A few isolated nations and regions, shuttered in protective city states, under military rule, struggled to survive that turbulent time. Much of the rural world returned to that state, like Zachry's Valleyman tribe. The off world colonies were too engrossed in struggling to exist in their new frontiers to be of much help. The Prescients kept hold of all the technologies they could, running much of what they could from the knowledge of the fusion reaction energy source they retained. To spare their society, they moved to a remote region, to the North Pacific where they could survive in isolation. And there they would have stayed, had their people not been attached by a virulent plague, the survival of their people threatened. They ventured forth looking for help, looking for salvation.

We may just have found it in the unlikeliest of places, She thought to herself as she drifted to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11 Conventions

Meronym awoke and was allowed to leave the infirmary as planned, and she was barely able to contain her joy. Her first day was filled with meeting collegues she had not seen for the week. She even saw Catkin, but Zachry was nowhere to be found…In the afternoon, she had a meeting with Duophysite, the captain and the other ship's officers.

"Meronym. I am so happy to see you well again." The captain said, approaching her with open arms. "It seems as if we have you to thank for this miracle drug we discovered." He said. "To make this perfect, all we need is a message from our celestial friends."

"I would like to see that as well, but I am afraid that will take some time, considering the distance it has to travel. Thank you captain, but I think the thanks for the medicine belongs to Zachry, and Duophysite." She replied, looking over at Duophysite. He smiled back. The captain nodded and went back to his seat.

"Yes, you are right." He said with a smirk, walking way. "But none of this would be possible if you did not believe so strongly. And for that the gratitude is for you." He sat down and his air changed a little. "Actually, Zachry is who we need to talk about."

"Oh? Is there a problem?" she asked. The men exchanged glances.

"When we disembark, we have to decide on his disposition." The captain started. "Some officers are concerned about how he will…act once on land."

"Why?" Meronym asked, incredulous.

"A myriad of reasons. His trespass on the forward deck, the damage done in his quarters, his trespass on the cat hulls below to go 'fishing'…" some of the other officers laughed. The captain shot a glare and there was silence. "He nearly destroyed up the kitchen one day…As well as some other escapades. And his endangerment of you." She crinkled her forehead and shook her head in disbelief.

"I understand about some of the other things, but endangering me? He would never…" Meronym said.

"He continued to visit you after I told him you were quarantined. And he snuck you out of the infirmary. I worry that he pays no mind to rules and authority." Duophysite said. "Even if unintentional, he could be a danger."

"I left the infirmary that night of my own free will, Duo. And the other things…He meant no harm and no harm was done." She countered. "I am here alive because of his help and yours." She said, looking at Duophysite harshly.

"Still Meronym," the captain interjected "we believe he should be kept on close watch, at the secure facility in town, until we can ascertain that he will comply with our rules." He said. Meronym was stunned. She stood up defensively.

"I cannot believe what I am hearing. Thousands of years of human evolution and we have learned nothing!" she said, insistently. "He is simply different from us. He was torn from his roots and has been thrown into a strange, new life. He just needs to learn our world, our ways, and we his." She put both her hands on the table and leaned forward, "He can't do that in a jail."

"It will not be jail, he will have full access to the entire facility…" Corbin said. Meronym walked around the entire table, looking at each member until they looked away; she was annoyed.

"He will have his every move watched. He will not be allowed to walk or streets, meet anyone. He will not be able to see the beauty and complexity of our society..." she growled. "Look, I invited him to come with us. Told him we were a compassionate, intelligent people. Please do not prove me wrong. Don't treat the man who brought us such a miracle like that." She pled, her voice quieting. She went to sit by the Captain. "Please Captain, I beg you to reconsider." He looked up at her and around the table.

"He may be somewhat…unconventional in his actions, but I must admit, he has never demonstrated mal intent or violence." He admitted. "What are some other options?" he said looking at everyone around the table. Meronym sat up in her chair. She made up her mind.

"I have a solution. I know them best, they trust me. I will take full responsibility for Zachry and Catkin. I will be their guardian, guide and teacher in our society. They can come and live with me in my compound. In the beginning, until you all become more comfortable, they will only leave the grounds in my presence if that is what is required." Duophysite shook his head and covered his eyes.

"Now Meronym…" the captain started.

"I will not have Zachry treated any way I would not want my own family treated. He helped me, us, when we most needed it." She insisted. "He and his sister took me in, under their roof. Let me at least repay the favor." The captain sighed.

"You know that your compound is managed by your mother, not you." He said pointedly. She shook her head.

"I have to believe, knowing my mother, she will accept Zachry and his niece once she finds out he has saved my life not once, not twice, but three times." She continued. "We have the space and the resources. Catkin can go to school nearby. Zachry can help with the livestock. Please…" she begged. The captain looked around the table. There were nods. He sighed deeply and nodded.

"Alright Meronym. You have your wish. They will be released off the ship in your custody." The captain said. Meronym smiled widely.

"You will not regret this." She said. After leaving the meeting room, she looked around the ship for Zachry. It was not like him to not come to her. Without a communication device, she could not hail him, or track him. And she had such good news to tell him. She was distracted by some friends who insisted she lunch with them.

After lunch Meronym returned to her quarters, and freshened up a bit. She was upset and worried that she had not seen Zachry. Unpacking, she found the little doll and journal. Flustered, she wanted distraction, so she picked up the little journal. She sat back and began to read once more. Hae Joo's now familiar writing continued after Dr. Atul's. It comforted her in her distress.

_After leaving General Apis, I looked for Somni, deep I the inner workings of Union command where his guards told me she was taken by Atul. I looked around, knowing these things she would see would scare her. I strolled slowly past the rooms. I remembered my days here…_

_I heard her voice echoing softly in the halls. I approached the Officer's Meeting room silently. I stood in the shadows, watching as the officers questioned her, and Atul walked around her, in control of the situation. _

_She was scared, but she was doing well, answering the questions I knew they needed to ask and have answered. I was in a little turmoil. I wanted to rescue her from this uncomfortable situation. But only a fabricant could answer these questions, to have the effect that was needed. That was the idea for the broadcast as well. To have a fabricant give the broadcast would have much more impact. Atul was wise to have brought her there. So I stood silent, watching Somni carefully. I would intervene when she needed me to. _

_You see, there was a schism occurring in Union. Some of the officers were becoming weary and impatient. Some, such as Damyen, felt that this broadcast would not achieve the goal that was needed, and they just wanted to have a strictly military campaign. I felt that would lead to intolerable bloodshed, and we did not yet have the numbers needed. Apis, I and the other officers felt that the broadcast was essential. We would inform the fabricants and get Union some support, from the more free thinking citizens of Seoul, or maybe from other nations. In any case, it would be a distraction for Unanimity while we fought the regime. I now realized, we would also need to figure in how to help the newly enlightened fabricants in the days after the broadcast. _

_I looked on as Somni answered some of the more difficult questions. She looked longingly toward the hall, my direction. I knew she could not see me, but I backed away a little anyway. Then Marcus asked her about Exultation. She struggled with the answer. Everyone was behaving strangely. That was my cue…_

_"Somni…" I said, getting her attention. I looked around at everyone. I could not help but be visibly upset about the last question. She turned around, and her eyes lit up. My heart warmed as she looked at me. She desperately wanted out of this situation. Atul thanked her as I ushered her out of the room. _

_"Are you alright, Somni?" I whispered, feeling her body shaking underneath the hand I rested on her back. I put my arm around her shoulder in reassurance. She looked up at me, a small smile of gratitude on her lips. _

_"I am better now." she said softly. "Are we going back home?" she said, wearily._

_"Yes, of course." I replied. _

_ Somni and I traveled back from the meeting at Union command in silence, both of us wrapped up in our thoughts. I felt a little bruised that Apis was disappointed in me. Since I had committed myself to the cause, everything I had done thus far was for Union missions, except this once. It was for Union, as well, but if I was honest with myself, I rescued Somni largely for me. Apis felt this. The fact still remained, regardless, Union could still benefit greatly from those actions. Somni was now free under Union protection, under my careful watch. Apis knew that I was vehemently committed to the mission of Union, but was worried that I may be conflicted one day. _

_I looked over at the quiet woman walking beside me. I felt I had to go out on a limb, and protect Somni, not let her to stay there underground. Even after her brief sojourn with Atul, she seemed even more overwhelmed, anxious. In that sense I was also protecting her from Union. Yet she was the key to our plan, a plan I helped to design and implement. Fate has its own ideas, and much to our chagrin, the last word._

_She looked at me; I smiled at her when her gaze met mine. I held out my hand; she put hers in mine and pulled close. They did not understand her as I now did. She needed to be treated very delicately. But I would do as Apis asked, take her to see the ship, and document everything, as you see here. _

_Back at the apartment in Old Town, we talked to each other finally. Somni seemed anxious and sad._

_"I am sorry Hae Joo." she said. I looked at her, confused as I opened a window and pulled off my jacket. _

_"What are you sorry about?" I said, a bit harshly I guess, because when I turned around, she looked like she was about to cry. _

_"I disappointed you all." she turned away and dropped her head. "Because I cannot do what General Apis asked of me." She continued. "Maybe you should have chosen someone else…" I gently turned her around and sat her down. _

_"You don't disappoint me." I reassured her. Yes I was disappointed, more at the standstill than her. She looked up at me. "Whatever happens, know that I am proud of you." I said. _

_I thought back to the prison, and recalled Boardman Mephi's face…_

_"At one point, Somni, in the prison cell, Boardman Mephi whispered something to you that I could not hear. What did he say?" She looked up, staring at the wall._

_"He said there were thoughts in my head that terrify the whole of Unanimity. He said he did not fear those thoughts because he knew the truth. That there is a natural order to this world. And the truth is that order must be protected." She looked a way, a distant look in her eye. "I felt resentment, at his words." I nodded in agreement. _

_"You should have seen his face afterwards. There was worry. But more than that… " I held her shoulder. "I saw the look on your eyes, Somni. I saw a power in you." She looked at me, wide eyed. "Do you understand now why we want a fabricant to reveal the truth to the nations? You are everything Unanimity is terrified of." She shook her head._

_"I do not know why I looked at him that way…" She said._

_"Do you think the person you were at Papa Song would have dared ask Mephi where I was just a moment later?" I asked. "You have changed."_

_"Yes." she admitted. "But I cannot scare Unanimity with just words." _

_"You don't need to be frightening. Just inspiring." I said. She sat thoughtfully for a moment, and then sadness shadowed her face. "He made me think you were dead." She said softly, her eyes rising to mine. _

_"I know." I said. _

_"I don't want to feel that again." She confessed. I never wanted to see her like that again, either. I held her hand, and let a few moments pass, stroking her hand gently. _

_"To take part in the plan or not is your decision to make." I said quietly. She looked up at me sadly. "But whatever it is, I will stand by it." I said, putting my hand on her shoulder. She nodded and breathed deeply. I was starting to feel a bit cramped so I got up. She did as well and stood before me. _

_ "If I do not do as General Apis asks, what will Union do?" she questioned. I looked away._

_"I don't know." Was my honest answer. "I will most likely have to return to my work, to further the Union mission."_

_"What will happen to me?" she asked, looking at me with a touch of fear. I looked back at her and sighed._

_"We will figure something out." I said. I crossed my arms and walked away. I turned back to her. She looked at me for a second with sadness, and then nodded, understanding._

_"The General said he wanted me to see something. What is it?" she asked, innocently. My throat felt tight in my chest. I could not bring myself to say it._

_"In due time, Somni. In due time." I said, trying to avoiding it. _

_"Please, tell me." she begged. My eyes dropped to the floor. I hated holding this secret within me._

_"He wants you to see the fabricant ship of Exultation." I admitted, in a low voice, swallowing hard. I dreaded it. I did not even want to think about taking her to the fabricant ship. I think she felt my trepidation. She backed away, seeming in disbelief and turned away from me. I paced back and forth, slowly, my arms crossed together before me. _

_"Do you know how many stars there were on my collar?" She asked, almost in a whisper, turning back towards me, a distant look in her eyes._

_"No, I don't remember." I answered. _

_"Eleven." She said softly. I gasped. _

_ That meant that she would have been next to go to exultation. Just a little while longer, and we would never have met. She would have been gone, forever. My heart pounded. I didn't know what to say. Somni sat down, looking scared and trapped. _

_"If I wanted to leave here, run away now, would you let me go?" she asked, shattering the silence, looking at me. I saw the seriousness in her eyes. I was shocked. I froze, every muscle clenched, feeling as if she had just hit me. I was hurt. _

_"I...I would strongly advise against it but...but yes, I…I would let you go if that is what you wanted." I said with great difficulty, looking away. "You are not my prisoner, Somni." _

_ After all we had gone through, I felt betrayed. But maybe not as betrayed as she now felt. A few tense moments passed._

_"I cannot leave you, Hae Joo."I heard her say softly. My body unclenched with relief. "It would be easier for me to stop breathing." It consoled, and touched me, to hear those words come from her lips. I heard her move, and turned around to see her walk to the other room, to sit on the windowsill, looking out the window. _

_I felt a cramp in my ribs. My injured body was catching up with me. I felt tired and worn mentally by today's occurrences, physically by yesterday's escapades. I moved around my shoulders and winced. I turned my neck and stretched; every movement hurting just a bit. I looked back at her. Her eyes had followed me._

_"Are you in pain?" she asked, concern in her eyes. _

_"Yes, but I will be fine." I insisted. "With all that has happened in the last few days, I think I just need a little rest." I admitted to her. It was early, but I really just needed to lay down._

_"Of course." She said. I turned to go to bed, but then stopped. Should I leave her alone, after what she had just asked me? I walked slowly towards her._

_ I paused, and then just leaned against the wall, looking at her silhouette in the window. Her arms and legs were long and lean, her body's gentle curves lead up to a graceful neck. She turned her head slowly, finding me staring at her. _

_"Sweet dreams." She said, with that little smile. I laughed, quietly._

_"Thank you." I replied, my own little smile in place. We just stared at each other for a second or two. I felt that now familiar ache rise up my chest, that warmth spreading in my stomach. _

_I did not expect someone like Somni. I did not expect my reaction to her. It was not often in my largely lonely life that I met someone and developed such a close connection in such a short time. I definitely did not expect to feel this way at this point in my life. I was a soldier, finding purpose in focusing on a communal goal, being constantly vigilant, violent, unemotional and calculated. There was a whole other part of my being that was now jolted awake. I turned around and went to my bed, exhaustion silencing the thoughts running through my head. _

* * *

_My Somni came to me later that night. _

_ I woke up with her head resting against my chest again. Earlier, she had told me that my heartbeat comforted her. I knew what the gentle, warm weight was as I drifted back to consciousness so I got up slowly. When I arose she backed away only a little this time. She seemed so quiet, I was worried._

_ "Are you alright?" I asked. She nodded and crouched down closer to me and brought her face closer to mine. Her eyes looked over my face, deep into my eyes. I felt my heart beating harder. It ached with her so near. _

_The air was thick with moisture, the night a noisy low hum of the street, but as I looked into her eyes, all became silent. There was only her and I. _

_"I know… it is forbidden." She said. _

_I practically held my breath. Her gaze drifted down to my lips then back up again. Then she kissed me, gently, like the touch of a feather. I was shocked for a second. There was that gentle little smile again. _

_My hand, of its own accord, went to cradle her head. I stroked the soft silk and smiled a little. I realized just then… I have wanted her to kiss me with those perfect lips for quite some time now. I knew what she wanted, as did I, but was this the best thing for her? For us? She looked at me with those adoring, dark eyes._

_Before I had time to think, she kissed me again, deeper, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. Our lips and tongues entwined, thirsting for each other. There was no mistaking her intentions now. I could not resist, nor did I want to. _

_Catechisms be dammed…_

_My body longed for her touch. I yearned to feel her soft skin. The ache within me rose to an undeniable, irresistible urge. Ancient instincts and desires lying deep within both of us once restrained were now unshackled, and drove passion to a fever pitch. _

_It felt so natural and familiar being with her, yet exhilarating; my hands could not stop themselves from roaming. All over those sensuous curves, I splayed my hands across her lower back, pressing her against me. She gasped and her head fell back, as I slid my lips down her neck, over her bare shoulder. I cursed the blue fabric covering her skin. She trembled with my touch. The most beautiful moan came from her lips. She breathed heavily, looking at me for a second with desire in her eyes, her small hands spreading over my chest, over my heart. She made quick work of my shirt. Her touch was electric. Now I was the one gasping, trembling. _

_She wrapped her arms around my neck, her hands roaming over my shoulders, my back. I took every chance my lips had to find her mouth; press against every inch of those perfect features. Wrapped in each other's arms, we stopped our ravenous kissing for a second to look in each other's eyes. She smiled at me, a glow on her face. I stood up and led her to the larger room. She followed, her body moving as if in slow motion. I could feel my heart beating hard as I watched her, a hunger within me rising._

_I wondered to myself, was this really happening, or was this just a dream? She was so responsive to my touch; everything she did was sensual, not awkward as I would have expected. It was as if already we knew each other's wants, needs… Standing before me, she slowly pushed the shoulder of her dress off, urged off the rest of her clothes, allowing them all to fall into a pile around her ankles. My eyes wandered down her body. I held her face in my hands and kissed her deeply._

_She moved closer to me and wrapped her arms around my neck again. Where my gaze had fallen, my hands now roamed. I pressed my lips against her bare skin, on a similar path. She moaned, throwing her head back. __I held her against me and felt her heart beat, fast but strong, against my skin. I looked on as her eyes fluttered and she sucked in a breath, a shudder running through her body. I wrapped my arms around her…was I moving too fast? _

_"Is this what you want?" I asked, gently. She nodded slowly, her gaze caressing my face. _

_"Yes…" she said, taking a deep breath._

_I held her face between my hands and stroked her cheek, my eyes wandering over every inch of her pretty face. She pulled me closer as we kissed, her soft lips venturing across my face. I gasped and my eyes closed as a wave of pleasure struck me. I opened my eyes to see her smiling; enjoying the effect she had on me. It felt so good to be kissed; to be touched like this, so tenderly. I felt I could get lost in her arms forever. My clothes joined hers on the floor. __We lay on the bed, exploring each other's bodies. I don't know how she knew, but everything she did drove me wild. I learned quickly what to do to make her sigh, moan, and arch with pleasure in return. At one point, a gentle smile came over her face. We both knew it was time. _

_"Are you ready?" I questioned, softly. She nodded, and breathed deeply. I felt her arms wrap around me tighter. _

_"Yes…" she whispered. There was no going back from this point. Honestly, at that very moment, my heart fluttered; I felt quite a bit of nervous excitement myself. I sat up in the middle of the bed and she rose up on her knees in front of me, hesitant. I motioned for her to come closer. _

_"Don't be scared." I said. She nodded, putting her hands on my shoulders. _

_"I'm not." She breathed. I was careful, slow and gentle with her, moving her into a comfortable position. This way, she would have the most control, and there would be less chance of me hurting her; I presumed this was her first time. Every sinew in my body ached to please her. I struggled to maintain control of my movements, my own urges. Then I leaned back. _

_Finally, I let her lead our lovemaking. While we moved, I watched her gorgeous reactions, her arching in pleasure, her deep moans, and the expressions playing across her face. It was as if she experienced complete release…she held nothing back. It was all unbelievably stimulating. My heart swelled as I saw her in such ecstasy; to see I was giving her such joy, the pleasure of that alone was amazing to feel, deep within me. It was so intimate, so very intense, I felt as if I could explode with joy any instant, and I joined her…_

_I knew I had experienced something exceptional, unlike any other time before. I could not have imagined how amazing being with her, finally, would be. If I had any question before of her being anything other than human, it was dispelled that night…she was now absolutely, undeniably free in my eyes. _

_Life could be no sweeter, I was sure. The rancid air and cold darkness of Old Town just outside the window seemed an eternity away. _

_We lay together afterwards in peaceful silence, our bodies entwined, Somni holding me tightly until her eyes shut and consciousness escaped her. She drifted into deep sleep as I looked on, her face inches from mine, lying on my chest, over my heart. Her face relaxed, a small smile played on her red lips. I studied it all; her obsidian hair, the sculpted cheeks, the long willowy neck with her comet shaped mark, the gentle slope of her body against mine. She trusted me. She gave herself to me. Yes, she loved me. I felt it in her touch, her kiss, the way she looked at me, the way she clung to me. I smiled; My Somni was now truly mine, by her own choice. _

_I stroked her cheek gently. I was suddenly overcome with emotion and from that moment I knew it. I was hers as well, mind, body and soul. I had never really been in love before and the feelings were overwhelming. I welcomed the unique, profound sensation. Yet, it felt like I always have been in love with her, long before this self-revelation. Immediately, I never wanted to be without her ever again. She had breached this soldier's armor and embraced my soul, won my heart and I would not have it any other way. _

_One slightly unpleasant thing came to mind. I knew this path taken would not be considered acceptable by Union. The fact is it had happened. We both wanted it to. It felt as natural as the sun, wind and rain; like the sprout from seed buried in dark ground, our love had grown and blossomed. I am unapologetic._


	12. Chapter 12 Back Home

Meronym closed the journal, taking a deep breath. . Meronym couldn't help but to be enamored by the couple; it was obvious Hae Joo fell for Somni, and she for him, that was certain. Love grew despite such a time and place. She was frankly surprised exactly how much Hae Joo had written on the matter. Maybe Hae Joo just wanted to portray their affair as the beautiful thing that it was, and dispel any assumptions that he was taking advantage of Somni's innocence. The last sentence in this section was a blatant statement to Union, and General Apis, that Hae Joo saw nothing wrong with what happened between them.

"Good for you." She said, softly. All the doubters could go to hell.

She shook her head and returned to think about her own issues, in her own time. She freshened up and headed out, down the hall to the common area in the back of the ship. She raised her head and saw Catkin and Zachry heading her way. She sucked in a breath; she would have smiled had she not been so upset with him by this point…

"Meronym!" Catkin said and pulled Zachry along. He seemed distracted. They walked closer.

"Hello all…"Meronym said, looking intently at Zachry, who noticed when his eyes rose to hers.

"Um. You lookin well Meronym. Happy to be out, cog be the truth…" he said, with a forced smile.

"Yes I happy to be out. Been keepin me busy I swearby…" she said. Catkin looked at Meronym, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Something makin you crosswise, Meronym?" Catkin asked meekly.

"No, not really. Why the query?" she said. Meronym looked at her a little uncomfortably. Catkin shrugged her shoulders. Zachry was silent and stalwart.

"Wanna show you all treasures made at prescient school." She said, smiling. "After suppin?"

"Sureby, Catkin." Meronym looked intently at Zachry. She could hold it in no more. "Zachry, where you been?" she said softly, only a little of her dismay showing. Zachry's eyes rose slowly. To Meronym, he seemed a little angry.

"I cog forget somthin' in the room…" Catkin said, realizing the tension, slinking away. Zachry watched her enter the room and their door close. He sighed and returned his glance to an intense Meronym.

"Been helpin menfolk in the hold below. They say we landin soon prescient home, need everything packed up right tightsome. Asked my help." he said. "Glad to what able…Leastn to move and lift." He said. Meronym nodded.

"Tis true, we close to Prescient home. Be there soon but…" she shook her head in frustration, and huffed. "I cog…I see you earlier…" she said. "Specialwise this day…I just…" His eyes drifted down to the ground, then back up at her, his face somber.

"I see you last night" he said. "Then you leave when called." She looked at him quizzically. Maybe he was embarrassed?

"You sorry we talk last night?" she asked gently. He looked up at her.

"No.." he answered quickly. "Ridin' demons good for soul. Stone and talisman better restin' on ocean bed." He said.

"Then what troubling your soul?" she asked. He looked down.

"I sorrysome, Meronym." He started. "I cog you probly seen nough of me all this time." He sighed. "Don't want be bothersome.." She reached out to his arm. She was still upset, but much less so. Why did he think this way?

"Zachry.. No bother, that truesome." She smiled a little. He looked up at her again, his blue eyes potent." I just disappointed I not see you this morning. Reckon I getting used to you." She said. He smirked and looked down.

"Problem is a man out of place. Soon we land and you back to your life go." He said, and then his eyes rose. "Back to plans made for life made to wait." He turned and put his back against the wall. "No place in prescient land, Valleyman belong." He shook his head. "Burdensome don't wanna be but choice not mine to make."

"There cog you wrong. In prescient land, we just like farmers stay live. Grow greens and grain, raise cattle…goats…" she said. "Always another helpin hand need for that." She said. "And your hands good for helpin." He looked up again.

"Alright…" he said. "then where we go?"

"You both come stay with me. Honorby share my home."

"Don't want be no trouble…" he said, looking confused.

"No trouble. Work for your stayin'." She said. "I live close to prescient village. On compound, make what we need to live. You and Catkin be welcome." She said. "If you like." He kept looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Thanksome…be just until make my own way if I can…" he said, standing back up to face her. "But…"he started. Her messager buzzed,

"Transmission from Teramar, Viceriene Blanchette" the communication device interrupted. Meronym's eyes widened.

"Mother! Didn't know we close enough to receive vidicalls…" she said. "Got to go." She said, opening her door. She stopped and looked back at Zachry. "Be seeing you soon, OK? We suppin tonight?" she said.

"Alright." He said, his expression still a little quizzical.

She ran in the room, and, just to satisfy curiosity, she switched on the video that showed outside her door after it closed behind her. Zachry was just standing in the hall. He raised his hand and touched her door, then shook his head heavily. He turned away slowly, entering his own quarters. Meronym was now the one confused…

"Viceriene Blanchette" the device said again. Meronym touched the communicator in her temple.

"Mother! Hello?" She said. "Just a minute, I'm going to turn on the vidi link now." She grabbed her orison. She sent it spinning over the table.

"Oh Meronym!" a pleasant ladies voice said, over the intercom. The screen on the table popped up. Vicereine Blanchette was still partially obscured by static. Meronym smiled widely at the trim, distinguished looking older woman, silver and black streaked hair above a high neckline, her hair adorned with multiple gold and multicolored colored pieces. Her clothing was regal. "I have missed you so much, my child." She said.

"Likewise, mother." Meronym said. Blanchette looked at her daughter with concern.

"I heard you were not well, daughter. You look pale…" Meronym smiled and nodded.

"I am much better now. Mom…it is done. I sent the transmission." Blanchette took a deep breath.

"Thank the heavens above. Now we have but to wait." She said. "And see if our celestial brethren still live, and are willing to aid us." She seemed sad.

"How is it back home?" Meronym asked softly. "How is Canai?" She was almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Oh my dear, we are still besieged. Our numbers are falling. The plague has taken its toll while you were away. Your brother is strong, but his wife…she is not well." Blanchette said sadly, shaking her head. Meronym leaned closer.

"Tell her to hold on, don't lose hope. I think we found something that can help." Meronym said excitedly. Blanchette nodded. "We think we found a cure…"

"Could it be?" she gasped. "How did you find it? How do we know it works?" Blanchette queried. Meronym leaned back.

"It is a long story, mother, one fit for an afternoon over a cup of tea in the garden." She smiled. "In short, the Valleymen have a berry they use for its medicinal qualities. Zachry used these berries to help me from the radiation poisoning I got on Big Island." She said. Her mom gasped. "But it also seems to have an effect on the plague."

"Why did you get radiation poisoning? Meronym, I told you to be careful…" Blanchette lectured. "I would rather a live daughter than a shot in the dark transmission." She paused. "And who is Zachry?"

"Mother…if this works we could all be saved." Meronym insisted.

"That would truly be a miracle, Meronym." Blanchette looked down and shook her head. "The fresh water wells are getting worse and worse."

"I was worried about that. Actually I have to talk to you about Zachry…" she said.

Meronym explained what happened with Zachry, his tribe and the Rumna berry treatment. Her mother listened intently, and then adamantly agreed that the Valleymen should come and live with them. Her mother seemed a little more relaxed.

"So…how is my handsome young Duo?" Blanchette said. "I am so glad he was there to take care of you during your illness." She smiled. "I trust you had some time to spend with each other." Meronym was taken aback. Her mother had always liked Duophysite.

"Why yes, he is the ship's doctor. He was very kind and attentive. Just like an old friend should be." Meronym insisted, with the proper emphasis. "Zachry never left my side during the worst of it." Meronym said. Blanchette raised an eyebrow.

"I see…" Blanchette said. "I must meet this…Valleyman." She looked away, to her side, where an aide got her attention. "I am sorry, I must attend to some business my dear. I so look forward to you coming back home." She said smiling pleasantly.

"I can't wait to see you all, and Teramar ." Meronym said, signing off. Her mother was one of the governing council; with some of the council away on the ship or sick, much of the governing of their homeland fell to Viceriene Blanchette. The management of their rather fruitful compound, Teramar, fell to her brother, Canai. With his wife ill, he would need help. Meronym sighed. Returning to Teramar would mean returning to the politics and sadness of a people who's future once looked bleak. Meronym hoped that would change.

She looked at the time; there was still a little time left before going to supper. Maybe then she could figure out what was going on in Zachry's head. She looked at the next entry in the journal.

_My eyes opened to the faint predawn light. I saw Somni curled up, lying before me, dressed in her blue dress, eyes closed, breath even in restful sleep. I put my head to rest on my hand, looking at her features. I wonder when during the night she had arisen; I am usually a light sleeper and wake with any noise. I didn't want to move much to awaken her; I wanted this precious moment to last as long as possible. _

_I still could not believe what happened last night, and if it weren't for my state of undress beneath the cover, I would have been able to convince myself it had all been just a very good dream. As I looked at her I lamented all my past lonely days. I had always felt something was missing. I now realized what it was. I thought that was just not in my cards, until now. _

_But why now? At the turning point of Union's plan, when the stakes were high, when the actions of a single fabricant could launch the next phase of the revolution…the same fabricant now sharing my bed._

_And why her? Why did my heart now beat only for this fabricant? And how did it happen so quickly, so completely? I sighed and looked towards the window. What was I doing? This was so complicated. _

_Somni stirred and her eyes opened slowly. Through sleepy lids, she smiled at me. I leaned over and wrapped my arm around her. She moved closer and I leaned over to kiss her forehead, her cheek, her little nose and her lips softly. She smiled, her eyes caressing my face. She nuzzled up to my neck and wrapped her arm around me. I breathed her in deeply. It felt good, I had to admit. My eyes closed as I drank in the pleasure of her proximity, her touch. _

_Maybe it would be best to look at this simply. The connection between us was undeniable. I adored her. She adored me. She came to me last night; I did not instigate this…but I was more than happy to comply with any request. Maybe I should just enjoy the very human act of loving another human. No ulterior motives. No greater sociological agenda. I felt comforted with that thought._

_Soon the sun would rise, the day would begin. _

_"Somni, there is something I want to show you." I said, getting up quickly, grabbing my discarded clothes. _

_"What is it?" She asked sleepily, a light of curiosity in her eye._

_"You will see…" I said. I pulled some warm clothes from my clothing chest. I handed them to her. _

_"Please, put these on." She looked at them, puzzled. "I don't want you to feel cold." I explained._

_In short order, we were both dressed warmly in black, riding a jet bike, racing up the mountain to the south of Old Seoul. It was actually a short ride from where we were, through flooded back streets to the base of the mountain chain that now rose like islands above the new shallow body of water now called Seoul Bay. I had swiped this bike a while ago; I disabled its navigation and homing device so I could use it undetected. Too suspicious to ride discretely in New Seoul, it usually just remained hidden in an abandoned building on the edge of Old town. It could only be used in the mountains and the hinterlands that were not routinely patrolled by Unanimity. _

_It was not easy or safe to ride to this mountain. It was almost completely cut off from the mainland by the rising waters. The steep grades of the slopes were too much to make building higher worthwhile for Unanimity, so they left it alone. I had scouted it out for Union. They were planning to use several now abandoned buildings on the western side for future endeavors. I was glad to speed by unhindered by several outposts, to find them deserted on our way. The road we traveled had been condemned for years. It was still led to a reasonably dry path up the mountain, however. _

_Through the whole ride I was distinctly aware of Somni's arms wrapped around me, the movements her body made against me as she looked from one side to the other on our way. She moved instinctively with me. I am quite sure she had not seen much of what was on our path before in her life. It was good to be out of Old Seoul for a while. _

_We arrived to the eastern side just in time to catch the sun peeking over the horizon. I hid the bike in some overgrown brush and pulled Somni along to a look out. Her eyes soaked everything in as she gazed out over the bay to the horizon in wonderment. I smiled, remembering the first time I saw that look. My chest warmed again. It seemed long ago, like it was another world, another time. _

_Somni turned to me, smiling widely upon witnessing the grandeur of the rising sun. I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her; I held her in silence. Her soft, small hands rested on mine. I closed my eyes and pulled her close. I promised myself I would cherish these moments, etch them into my brain. As the sun rose further, it was more difficult to look directly east, so we walked on until the majority of the bay was in our view._

_"What are those?" She asked, pointing to the jagged, half crumbled buildings jutting out of the water. _

_"When the waters rose, the ocean reclaimed this land. What you see is the skeletons of a once thriving metropolis." I said. "They concentrated on building the damway to protect the financial centers and the higher parts of the city." She looked out on the immense expanse of destruction. "To make sure there was a place for the more affluent."_

_The water came so fast, no one living in these areas expected it. In actuality, the academic community knew and warned Unanimity frequently. Yet the officials did not warn the people. Some had difficulty moving out fast enough. I believe that was part of the plan._

_"Why did the waters rise?" She asked. _

_"It is complicated; in the end it is our fault, as humans that the sea level raised up." I sighed. "We have done so much damage to this world." I lamented. Somni looked up at me solemnly._

_This was a very difficult topic to discus with anyone. But, there was no need for me to be this way. I looked at the sky, brightening each second by the rising sun. The stillness of morning was giving way to a gentle breeze. _

_ "Yet the sun still rises to greet us like this." I said, looking up. I looked back down and she was looking at me with those adoring eyes. _

_"One cannot change the past. One can only change the future." She said. She looked away and back to the ocean. I smiled. How simply true. _

_I turned around and looked north to the hinterlands. Unanimity had acquired most of those fertile plains and pooled their agricultural power, displacing many private estates, landowners and private farmers. My forefathers were on the losing end of that deal; they were once rich with land. _

_"Those men, back in Union. They had many questions for me." She said, her eyes gazing back where we came from._

_"Just as you had for me, a short time ago." I answered. "You did well." She smiled at me and nodded. I looked around; my senses growing wary with the rising light. "It is time for us to return." I said _

_"Can we come back again?" she said. "It makes me feel…at peace." I smiled and nodded. We would have to first return to the squalor of Old Town. And await word from Union Command._


End file.
